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HB 2543

An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, providing for pending medical assistance applications.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz and 15 co-sponsors

HB 2543 excludes bridges owned by mass transit or port authorities and used within their systems from the definition of public highways.

Referred to Aging & Older Adult Services
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Bill Summary · HB 2543

Summary of HB 2543 (Pennsylvania, 1975-1976 Session)

Note: The bill provided appears from 1976 and concerns amendments to the Pennsylvania Transportation Assistance Authority Act of 1967, adding a definition related to “public highway.” The action history and sponsors listed reflect a 2026 re-referral in the provided materials, but the text itself is the 1976 bill. The summary below focuses on the substantive provisions in the bill text as given.

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill amends the Pennsylvania Transportation Assistance Authority Act of 1967 to clarify and expand the definition of “public highway.”
  • Specifically, it aims to distinguish general public roads from certain transportation facilities owned or operated by mass transit or port authorities.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Adds a new definition to Section 2 (Definitions) of the act:
    • (13) Public highway: “every way or place, of whatever nature, open to the use of the public as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular travel.”
    • It clarifies that a “public highway” shall not include a bridge that is:
    • Open to the public for vehicular traffic,
    • Owned and maintained by a mass transportation or port authority,
    • And that bridge is part of the transportation system of that mass transit or port authority.
  • Effectively creates an exception to the broad concept of a public highway for bridges that function within mass transit or port authority systems.

Who or What Would Be Affected

  • Public highway classifications: The change affects how certain bridges are categorized for purposes of transportation planning, funding, and regulatory treatment under the Act.
  • Mass transit and port authorities: Bridges within these authorities’ transportation systems would be excluded from the statutory definition of “public highway,” potentially altering oversight, funding eligibility, or governance considerations under the act.
  • State agencies referencing the definition: Departments or authorities that rely on the Public Highway definition for project eligibility, eminent domain, leasing, or project financing may adjust interpretations for bridges within mass transit/port authority networks.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective date: The act states it shall take effect immediately and shall be retroactive to January 22, 1967.
  • This retroactivity implies that the new definition could affect actions or classifications dating back to the original act’s effective date, potentially impacting past projects or ongoing Authority activities as of 1967.

Practical Implications

  • Classification matters: By excluding certain bridges from the “public highway” category, decisions about funding, regulatory compliance, or project scope under the Transportation Assistance Authority Act could shift for those bridges.
  • Clarity for authorities: Provides a clear boundary between public highways and bridges that are integral parts of mass transit or port authority systems.
  • Retroactive application could invite review of prior designations or project categorizations to ensure consistency with the new definition.

Summary

HB 2543 adds a specific definitional carve-out to the Pennsylvania Transportation Assistance Authority Act: bridges owned and maintained by mass transit or port authorities that are part of those authorities’ transportation systems are excluded from the broad category of “public highways.” The change is retroactive to 1967 and takes effect immediately, impacting how certain bridges are classified and governed under the act.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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