Pennsylvania HB 1603: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in charter schools, further providing for enrollment.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1919
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1603
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MULLINS, ECKER, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN, BURGOS,
CURRY, SANCHEZ, D. WILLIAMS AND DONAHUE, JUNE 13, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
JUNE 16, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for requirements for sampling and initial curing of
concrete samples on commercial construction projects; and
imposing penalties.
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 Reliable
Acceptance Testing of Concrete Act.
Section 2. 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:
"ACI." The American Concrete Institute.
"ASTM." ASTM International.
"Contractor." A person, firm or corporation with which an
owner enters into an agreement for the construction of a
project.
"Department." The Department of Labor and Industry of the
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Commonwealth.
"Owner's testing agency." A firm or entity under contract
with an owner to provide testing services for quality assurance
and compliance with the requirements of ASTM C1077.
Section 3. Sampling and initial curing of concrete samples.
(a) Requirement.--A contractor and owner's testing agency
shall provide for the casting of concrete test specimens for the
purpose of acceptance of concrete and for the initial curing of
concrete test specimens at a project site on commercial
construction projects as provided under this section.
(b) Duties of owner's testing agency.--The owner's testing
agency shall:
(1) Obtain samples of concrete in accordance with ASTM
C172 and cast test specimens in accordance with ASTM C31.
(2) Cure test specimens, monitor and report curing
conditions for conformance with the requirements of ASTM C31
and as provided under this section.
(3) Provide a container for the storage of test
specimens at the project site that will facilitate
conformance to the storage and initial curing requirements of
ASTM C31.
(4) Store the test specimens in the initial curing
container and maintain the required temperature and moisture
conditions during the initial curing period as defined in the
standard curing requirements of ASTM C31.
(5) Transport test specimens from the project site to
the testing location in accordance with the requirements of
ASTM C31.
(6) Maintain the test specimens at a laboratory in
accordance with the final curing section for standard curing
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in the requirements of ASTM C31.
(7) Test the specimens for strength in accordance with
the requirements of ASTM C39.
(c) Duties of contractor.--A contractor shall provide at
least 110 volts of power and water and space for the initial
curing container for use by the owner's testing agency, security
and timely access to the storage location of the concrete test
specimens.
(d) Initial curing of test specimens.--The initial curing of
test specimens shall be conducted as follows:
(1) The initial curing environment surrounding test
specimens shall be monitored by a digital system that records
temperature at least every hour, within the range of 30
degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and to an
accuracy of 1 degree Fahrenheit, and provide software to
access the stored data.
(2) When requested, the output from the automated
temperature measuring device shall be made available in real
time to the contractor, concrete supplier, concrete special
inspector, licensed design professional and building code
official. The output from the automated temperature device
shall be included in the concrete strength report issued by
the owner's testing agency.
(e) Technician requirements.--Sampling, casting of test
specimens and providing, maintaining and monitoring of initial
curing shall be conducted by a technician holding a current ACI
Grade I Concrete Field Testing Technician certification.
(f) Final curing and testing of specimens.--Final curing and
testing of specimens for strength shall be done in accordance
with the requirements of ASTM C31 and ASTM C39 by a technician
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holding a current ACI Concrete Strength Testing Technician
certification.
Section 4. Enforcement.
The department shall enforce the provisions of this act.
Section 5. Penalties.
A person who violates this act shall be subject to the
following:
(1) For a first violation, a warning.
(2) For a second violation, a fine of $500.
(3) For a third violation, a fine of $1,000 and
inclusion on a list of violators posted on the department's
publicly accessible Internet website for a period of one
year.
(4) For a fourth and subsequent violation, a fine of
$2,000 and inclusion on a list of violators