 Legislative Advocacy
Make sure you are part of our Community Action Network. From time to time we send out alerts containing breaking news, legislative updates, advocacy alerts and news. If you're not already receiving our Action Alerts, click the Community Action Network link above and subscribe today. Quick Legislative LinksInformation on the PA General Assembly Find your PA State Representative CAI Advocacy CenterAdvocacy Center: If you want to know the latest information about federal and state legislation or respond to a Call to Action by contacting your legislator on issues of importance to CAI, bookmark this page, and visit the hub of CAI's advocacy efforts often!. This is CAI members only feature and you must have your member ID to login. If you do not have your member number, please call the chapter office at 877-608-9777. Read CAI's Political Heads Up. Current LegislationThe Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee (LAC) has reviewed and taken the following positions on Bills currently pending: House Bill 2155: Condo & Co-op OmbudsmanCAI's PA LAC has not yet taken a position on this Bill. House Bill 2155 would establish the Office of the Cooperative and Condominium Ombudsman and provide for its powers and duties. The Bill also seeks to impose a residential unit fee and establish the Office of the Cooperative and Condominium Ombudsman Fund. Introduced in the PA House by Representative John Galloway (D-Bucks County) on January 26, 2012. Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes Philadelphia City Council Bill 110130: Tax Credit for Owners of Condos, Co-ops & Planned Community Units not Receiving City Refuse CollectionCAI's PA LAC SUPPORTS this Bill. City Council Bill 110130was introduced on March 3, 2011 by City Councilman James Kenney. The Bill would provide a credit against the tax for owners of condominiums and cooperatives and planned community units who do not receive regular City refuse, recycling and bulk item collection services; all under certain terms and conditions. Adoption of the Bill would provide momentum to statewide legislation to address this issue. UPDATE: This Bill was adopted by City Council on December 8, 2011 and vetoed by Mayor Nutter on December 9, 2011. Read the text of the Bill // Bill History House Bill 202: State Tax Deduction for Association AssessmentsCAI has not yet taken a position on this Bill. House Bill 202 would allow a unit owner in a common interest ownership community (planned community) to deduct 75% of his or her association assessments (or dues) from his or her personal income tax. The purpose of this legislation is to address the problem of residents of associations paying taxes for municipal services that are often not provided to them. Introduced in the PA House by Representative Mario Scavello (R-Monroe County) on January 25, 2011. Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes House Bill 419, 950; Senate Bill 877: Association Records and MeetingsCAI's PA LAC objects to certain provisions and supports amendments to these Bills. Senate Bill 877, House Bill 419, and House Bill 950 all address open meetings and open records in common interest ownership communities. CAI strongly agrees that the sharing of information and access to documentation are essential components of proper functioning of community association governance. However, there are laws and rules already in place that ensure openness and that unit owners have access to the records and documents of their community association. Furthermore, the adoption of this legislation will likely have several unintended consequences that will adversely impact the ability of associations to function properly. Adoption of certain provisions contained in these bills, including the use of recording devices during board meetings and the provisions regarding the application of fines for violations by board members, will have a serious chilling effect on the willingness of homeowners to serve on the board of directors within their communities. House Bill 419: Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes House Bill 950: Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes Senate Bill 877: Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes House Bill 417 / Senate Bill 1048: Right to Dry Clothers by Solar Energy ActCAI supports this Bill. House Bill 417 / Senate Bill 1048 would prohibit a community association from denying an owner's request to install a clothes line or other clothis drying device. Both Bill's include an exception to the legislation that allows an association to deny use of a solar clothes drying device to protect access to an adjacent building, to preserve the proper emergency evacuation of buildings and to protect aesthetic values. House Bill 417: Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes Senate Bill 1048: Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes Senate Bill 353 / House Bill 442: Private Transfer FeesCAI's PA LAC SUPPORTS this Bill. Senate Bill 353 / House Bill 442 (primary Bill) would prohibit the use of certain private transfer fees (PTFs) which are covenants attached to the deed of a property that force the seller to pay one percent of the sale price to a developer, in conjunction with an out-of-state privately held company, for 99 years. PTFs constitute an unreasonable restraint on the transferability of real property, and are a private investment vehicle without any valid development purpose designed only to benefit the developer who imposes them. SB 353 preserves the rights of community associations to levy transfer fees for capital improvements which help fund replacement reserves necessary for the maintenance and improvement of the community, as well as fees which may be charged by an association, or its agent, for the statutorily-required resale certificate. House Bill 442 - final adoption in House/Senate on June 15, 2011. Read the text of the Bill // Bill History // View Roll Call Votes 2012 Legislative Advocate Program Honor RollCAI's Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee is grateful for the support of the following organizations. Their support helps to fund CAI's legislative action priorities. To join the list of supporters below, click here for our Legislative Advocate Program brochure. Or, have your community contribute through our Buck A Door program.
GOVERNOR’S CIRCLE ($1000) Steven L. Sugarman & Associates
SENATOR ($500) REPRESENTATIVE ($250) Big Bass Lake MADADAM Company Clemons, Richter & Reiss, P.C. Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, P.C. F. David Sylvester & Associates Smith Insurance Associates
Arrowhead Homeowners Association Baun Drive Manor Condo Association Belmont Community Association Big Bass Lake Birchfield CSA Blue Bell Country Club C.A. Brier Crest Woods POA Butler Park Center City One Condo Association Eagle Community Association Ellington Condominium Association Hamlet POA Hershey’s Mill Hopkinson House Owner’s Association King’s School Village HOA Knoll Acres at Wooddale II Lake Heritage Owner’s Association Lake Latonka POA Lakeview Estates HOA Long Meadow Community Association Morgandale Condominium Association Olde Colonial Greene Pinecrest Community Association Remington Oaks Reserve at Gwynedd Simmons Park Village Owners Association Staunton Heights HOA Teversall Towamensing Trails POA Villages of Flowers Mill Waterfront Square Condo - Peninsula Tower Waterfront Square Condo - Regatta Tower Wethersfield Woodridge Condo Association
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