Committee advances bill directing PUC rulemaking on duplicative and "ghost" utility poles

Representative Rinkovich brought forward House Bill 825, describing the measure as a continuation of work on a similar bill from the prior session.

"This was House Bill 1619 last session," Representative Rinkovich said, noting the prior bill had passed unanimously and that the current measure would address safety standards for poles left on downtown main streets and the ability to attach lines when federal funding becomes available.

Committee staff summarized the bill: it directs the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to begin a rulemaking on duplicative or "ghost" poles. The rulemaking topics listed in the bill include coordination, indemnity, timeliness, and cost allocation when a utility refuses to relocate facilities to a new pole. The bill also directs the PUC to create a registry of utility companies in Pennsylvania with pole attachments.

Representative Borowski supported the bill, saying it had been "a good piece of legislation" and was a significant issue in her community. Committee leaders said there were no negative votes and announced the bill passed unanimously.

The committee scheduled a public-information hearing on March 24 at 11 a.m. in the Ryan Office Building, Room 205 to take testimony from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and follow up with questions and answers. No timetable for PUC rulemaking, cost estimates for removal or relocation of poles, or specific enforcement language were included in the committee summary presented at the meeting.