Pennsylvania HB 969: An Act providing for management of responsible outdoor night lighting; and imposing duties on the Department of General Services.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1050
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 969
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PIELLI, SANCHEZ, HILL-EVANS, MADDEN, VENKAT,
RIVERA, GIRAL, FREEMAN, KHAN, DIAMOND, KENYATTA, D. WILLIAMS
AND HOWARD, MARCH 19, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
PROTECTION, MARCH 19, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for management of responsible outdoor night lighting;
and imposing duties on the Department of General Services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Responsible
Outdoor Lighting Control Act.
Section 2. Intent.
Government structures, facilities, places and spaces should
serve as models of best practices for private structures,
facilities, places and spaces. This Commonwealth should
encourage residents, business owners and others to join in
transitioning to responsible lighting principles.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
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"BUG rating." A luminaire classification system, developed
by the United States Illuminating Engineering Society (IES),
that ranks and defines how many lumens of light a lighting unit
emits backwards, upwards and in glare.
"Construction." The process of building, altering, improving
or demolishing any public structure or building, or other public
improvements of any kind, to any public real property. The term
does not include the routine operation or maintenance of
existing structures, buildings or real property.
"Correlated color temperature" or "CCT." A color of the
light perceived by the eye that replicates the Kelvin
temperature spectrum of a metal object when heated, with
"warmer" colors toward the red end of the spectrum and "cooler"
colors toward the blue end of the spectrum.
"Environmentally sensitive area." A State game land, State
forest, State park or State natural heritage area. The term
includes an area that is an exemplary ecological community that
would be easily disturbed or degraded by human activity and
development, as determined by the relevant State agency, State-
aided entity or State-related institution, in consultation with
the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
"Fully shielded." A lighting unit that is constructed in
such a manner that all light emitted, either directly from the
lamp or indirectly by reflection or refraction from any part of
the lighting unit, is projected below the horizontal plane, in
accordance with the following:
(1) The downward-pointing beam of light should
preferably be cast within an angle of 60 degrees or less from
the vertical.
(2) No part of the lamp should protrude outside of the
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lighting unit or shield.
"Glare." Light emitted by a lighting unit that causes
reduced visibility of objects or momentary blindness.
"Lamp." The component of a lighting unit that produces
light.
"Light pollution." The scattering of artificial light into
the nighttime sky, caused by excessive or improperly positioned
artificial outdoor lighting, resulting in sky glow, light
trespass and glare.
"Light trespass." Light emitted by a lighting unit that
shines beyond the boundaries of the property on which the
lighting unit is located.
"Lighting unit." A complete artificial illuminating device,
installed or portable, including a lamp, together with the parts
designed to distribute the light, such as a reflector or
refractor, parts to position and protect the lamps and parts to
connect the lamps to the power supply.
"Lumen." A specific standard unit of measurement of luminous
flux.
"Outdoor lighting unit." Outdoor artificial illuminating
devices, installed or portable, used for flood lighting, roadway
lighting and area lighting, general illumination or
advertisement.
"Partially shielded lighting unit." A lighting unit that
projects or directs its light parallel to or above the
horizontal plane. The light from a lighting unit may be emitted
either directly from the lamp or indirectly by reflection or
refraction from any part of the lighting unit producing
significant light pollution.
"Permanent outdoor lighting unit." An outdoor lighting unit
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or system of lighting units that is outdoors and that is used
for seven days or longer.
"Reflective roadway marking." Lines and markers with
reflective properties to aid with vehicular and pedestrian
safety.
"Reflective signage." Roadway and informational signage that
has reflective properties to aid with vehicular and pedestrian
safety.
"Responsible lighting principles." The use of advanced
lighting technologies, including shielding, an upper limit on
CCT, on-off controls