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HB 539PENNSYLVANIASession 2025-2026State Billin committee

Pennsylvania House Bill 539 caps freight train length at 8,500 feet and establishes civil penalties for violations

Original title: An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in railroads, providing for train length; and imposing penalties.

Last action · February 10, 2025: Referred to CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND UTILITIES, Feb. 10, 2025Sponsors: SCHMITT and 2 others

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What This Bill Would Do

Pennsylvania House Bill 539 prohibits s from exceeding a total length of 8,500 feet within the Commonwealth, effective in 60 days. The measure establishes tiered civil penalties ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 for railroad operators that violate the length restriction.

Why it matters

Railroad operators face financial penalties for operating s longer than 8,500 feet, while collected fines are directed to the state commission to fund enforcement and administration.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

railroads

Railroad operators must comply with the 8,500-foot train length limit and face escalating civil penalties for violations.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum allowed length for a freight train under this bill?

s operating in Pennsylvania cannot exceed a total length of 8,500 feet, unless an exception is granted to comply with federal law.

Where do the collected penalty fines go?

Penalties collected under this section are deposited into the General Fund and used by the commission to administer and enforce the chapter.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

1 action

Feb 10, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND UTILITIES, Feb. 10, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Related Legislation

State Bill

Pennsylvania Bill HB 89 requires telecommunications companies to compensate volunteer fire companies $1,000 per hour for late responses to equipment failures

Local exchange telecommunications companies must physically respond to equipment or infrastructure failures within 90 minutes of receiving notice if t

Connected Entities

Pennsylvania, General Fund

locationPennsylvania“Commonwealth where the train length limits apply”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Fund“Recipient fund for collected civil penalties”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.palegis.us

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy50
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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