Pennsylvania HB 279: An Act amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, in State contract information, further providing for submission and retention of contracts.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 227
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 279
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY GROVE, GREINER, JAMES, GILLEN AND KAUFFMAN,
JANUARY 23, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
OPERATIONS, JANUARY 23, 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 open-records officer in each Commonwealth agency,
local agency, judicial agency and legislative agency, for
procedure, for appeal of agency determination, for judicial
review and for the Office of Open Records; imposing
penalties; providing for reporting by State-related
institutions; requiring the posting of certain State contract
information on the Internet; and making related repeals," in
State contract information, further providing for submission
and retention of contracts.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1701(a) introductory paragraph and (2) of
the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-
to-Know Law, are amended and the subsection is amended by adding
paragraphs to read:
Section 1701. Submission and retention of contracts.
(a) General rule.--Whenever any Commonwealth agency,
legislative agency or judicial agency shall enter into any
contract involving any property, real, personal or mixed of any
kind or description or any contract for personal services where
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the consideration involved in the contract is [$5,000] $10,000
or more, a copy of the contract shall be filed with the Treasury
Department within ten days after the contract is fully executed
on behalf of the Commonwealth agency, legislative agency or
judicial agency or otherwise becomes an obligation of the
Commonwealth agency, legislative agency or judicial agency. The
provisions of this chapter shall not apply to contracts for
services protected by a privilege. The provisions of this
chapter shall not apply to a purchase order evidencing
fulfillment of an existing contract but shall apply to a
purchase order evidencing new obligations. The following shall
apply:
* * *
(2) The Treasury Department [may] shall require each
Commonwealth agency, legislative agency or judicial agency to
provide a summary with each contract, which shall include the
following:
(i) Date of execution.
(ii) Amount of the contract.
(iii) Beginning date of the contract.
(iv) End date of the contract, if applicable.
(v) Name of the agency entering into the contract.
(vi) The name of all parties executing the contract.
(vii) Subject matter of the contract.
Each agency shall create and maintain the data under this
paragraph in an ASCII-delimited text file, spreadsheet file
or other file provided by Treasury Department regulation.
(3) No later than every six months, the Treasury
Department shall provide notice to each Commonwealth agency,
legislative agency or judicial agency of each agency's
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obligations under this chapter. The Treasury Department shall
provide the notice on or before January 15 and July 15 of
each year.
(4) Within ten days immediately after receipt of the
notice from the Treasury Department under paragraph (3), each
Commonwealth agency, legislative agency or judicial agency
shall attest, on a form provided by the Treasury Department,
that all copies of contracts required to be submitted and
filed with the Treasury Department under this subsection have
been submitted and filed as of the date of the attestation.
The following shall apply to the attestation under this
paragraph:
(i) The Treasury Department shall make the
attestation of each Commonwealth agency, legislative
agency or judicial agency available for public inspection
on the Treasury Department's publicly accessible Internet
website in accordance with section 1702.
(ii) The Treasury Department shall post a list of
each Commonwealth agency, legislative agency or judicial
agency which has failed to submit a completed attestation
form within 30 days of receipt of the notice under
paragraph (3).
(5) If the Treasury Department determines that a
Commonwealth agency, legislative agency or judicial agency
has not submitted an attestation form under paragraph (4),
the Treasury Department shall have the following duties:
(i) Contact the agency to inform the agency that
failure to comply with paragraph (4) may result in a
delay or rejection of payment requests from the Treasury
Department associated with the contract.
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(ii) Provide a reasonable opportunity for the agency
to submit and file a current attestation form with the
Treasury Department.
(6) If the Treasury Department determines that a
Commonwealth agency, legislative agency or judicial agency
has not filed a copy of a co