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Pennsylvania Bill Directs DEP to Remove Specific Counties from Vehicle Emission Inspection Program

Original title: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in inspection of vehicles, further providing for prohibition on expenditures for emission inspection program.

Last action · March 3, 2025: Referred to TRANSPORTATION, March 3, 2025Sponsors: Joe Hamm and 10 others

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Would Do

House Bill 761 requires the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to initiate the process of removing seven specific counties from the within 60 days. The bill mandates that a revised be submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency no later than January 1, 2026. Additionally, it provides a pathway for other covered counties to be removed if they can maintain relevant standards without emission inspection reductions.

Background
  • Enhanced vehicle emission inspection and maintenance programs are mandated in certain areas to meet federal air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. context
  • State implementation plans outline how a state will control air pollution and must be approved by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. context

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

Department of Environmental Protection

The department is required to initiate the removal process, compile and submit revised State implementation plans to the EPA, ensure compliance with federal law, and notify legislative committees.

Directly affected

Motor vehicle owners in designated Pennsylvania counties

Vehicle owners residing in the targeted counties may be relieved from the requirement to participate in the enhanced vehicle emission inspection and maintenance program upon EPA approval.

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

Which counties are slated for removal from the emission inspection program?
The bill targets specific third-, fourth-, and fifth-class counties defined by population ranges in the most recent Federal decennial census, including three third-class counties (populations 215,000-216,000; 325,000-326,000; and 354,000-355,000), one fourth-class county (population 133,000-134,000), and three fifth-class counties (populations 122,000-123,000; 114,000-115,000; and 110,000-111,000).
What is the deadline for submitting the revised plan to the EPA?
The revised must be submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency no later than January 1, 2026.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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

Where This Stands

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

Procedural history

1 action
  1. Mar 3, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to TRANSPORTATION, March 3, 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.

View official text →

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.

Sponsors

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Decentralization of Emission Testing

The legislation establishes a structured statutory mechanism for scaling back enhanced emission inspection requirements in select Pennsylvania counties based on population criteria and air quality maintenance demonstrations.

Connected Entities

Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives, Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee of the House of Representatives, Pennsylvania and 5 more
OrganizationTransportation Committee of the House of Representatives“Legislative committee to be notified of plan submission.”Map →
OrganizationEnvironmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee of the House of Representatives“Legislative committee to be notified of plan submission.”Map →
locationPennsylvania“Jurisdiction enacting the legislation.”Map →
OrganizationTransportation Committee of the Senate“Legislative committee to be notified of plan submission.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Environmental Protection“State agency tasked with initiating the removal process and submitting the revis”Map →
OrganizationLegislative Reference Bureau“Recipient of notice upon EPA approval for publication in the Pennsylvania Bullet”Map →
OrganizationEnvironmental Resources and Energy Committee of the Senate“Legislative committee to be notified of plan submission.”Map →
OrganizationUnited States Environmental Protection Agency“Federal agency required to approve the revised State implementation plan.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.palegis.us

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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