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HB 197PENNSYLVANIASession 2025-2026State Billdead

Did Not Advance

Pennsylvania House Bill 197 requires Commonwealth agencies to provide live phone customer service during business hours

Original title: An Act amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, in requirements and prohibitions, further providing for Commonwealth agencies.

Last action · September 10, 2025: Laid on the table, Sept. 10, 2025Sponsors: Joe Ciresi and 15 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Proposed

Commonwealth agencies must ensure that callers during regular business hours can speak directly with an agency employee, prohibiting automated phone trees that block access while permitting standard call queues and optional menu selections.

Who It Would Have Affected

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

Directly affected

Commonwealth agencies

State agencies must update their telephone systems and staffing to ensure callers can reach a live employee during regular business hours.

Directly affected

Individuals calling Commonwealth agencies

Callers gain the right to speak directly with an agency employee and are protected from automated systems that block access.

Key Facts

Commonwealth agencies must allow individuals placing telephone calls during regular business hours on a publicly accessible line to speak with an employee who can answer questions and provide assistance.
Agencies are prohibited from using automated answering or computer systems that impede callers from speaking with an employee, except for standard call distribution queues and automated menu options that let callers select to speak with a live employee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill ban all automated phone systems for state agencies?

No. Agencies may still use s that queue calls or automated phone menus that offer an option to speak with a live employee.

When does this rule apply?

It applies during regular business hours when calling a publicly accessible telephone line of a .

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Tabled in the House.

Procedural history

6 actions

Sep 10, 2025House
Laid on the table, Sept. 10, 2025
Sep 10, 2025HouseCommittee
Re-reported as committed, Sept. 10, 2025
Jun 3, 2025House
Re-committed to RULES, June 3, 2025
Jun 3, 2025HouseIntroduced
First consideration, June 3, 2025
Jun 3, 2025House
Reported as amended, June 3, 2025
Jan 16, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, Jan. 16, 2025

Version history & redline

2 versions on file

Comparing Printer's No. 0144 → Printer's No. 1818

removed addedOfficial text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 144 PRINTER'S NO. 1818 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL No. 197 Session of 2025 INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, GIRAL, KHAN, SAMUELSON, HOWARD, HADDOCK, DONAHUE, FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, BRENNAN, SANCHEZ, HARKINS AND HARKINS, DEASY, CERRATO AND GREEN, JANUARY 16, 2025 REFERRED TO AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY, JANUARY 16, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 3, 2025 AN ACT Amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), entitled "An act providing for access to public information, for a designated […] agencies. (a) [Requirement] Public records requirement.--A Commonwealth agency shall provide public records in accordance with this act. (a.1) Live telephone service requirement.--When receiving a<--

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

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 House Bill 834 requires monthly online posting of agency spending records and quarterly Auditor General affirmations

Pennsylvania agencies must publish monthly records of fund disbursements online by the last day of each month and submit quarterly compliance affirmat

Connected Entities

Right-to-Know Law, General Assembly of Pennsylvania

otherRight-to-Know Law“The act being amended by House Bill 197”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Assembly of Pennsylvania“Enacts the legislation”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.palegis.us

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 45)
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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