Side Shot from Harrisburg - Summer 2025

With the Senate and House busy at work prior to the summer recess, I continue to have many discussions and attend several events.  These discussions focus on both promoting and opposing several PSLS legislative issues, which are the following:

We are working on the State Plane Coordinate System Law (HB 513), which was introduced by Representative Eric DaVanzo on February 4th and has been referred to the House Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations Committee. This legislation will replace the current Pennsylvania Coordinate System Law, P.L. 1223, No. 161, Cl.76.  An update of this law is necessary to provide users with a new framework of planar coordinates that are aligned to the new geometric reference frame (AKA horizontal datum) in development by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) and to allow those users of the State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS) to update/modernize their data while maintaining compliance with applicable Federal guidelines.  There is a plan in place by NGS to modernize the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), which is the official definition of positional parameters including latitude, longitude, height, scale, gravity, and orientation throughout the United States.  The new datum is known as the North American Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022, and the Final definition and acceptance is expected to occur in 2025.

Secondly, we are working on the Right-of-Entry.  This legislation will be introduced by PSLS in the 2025-2026 Legislative Session.  This will grant surveyors and their subordinates the limited right-of-entry to the lands of others which are necessary to perform their work.  This legislation will be similar to the West Virginia Law as referenced here, with the following modifications:  (E) Entry where no physical damage is done to property (1) in the performance of surveying to ascertain property boundaries, and (2) in the performance of necessary work of construction, maintenance and repair of a common property line fence, or buildings or appurtenances which are immediately adjacent to the property line and maintenance of which necessitates entry upon the adjoining owner's property.

Thirdly, PSLS will be working on updating the Registration Law (Act of 1945).  Once again, this will be introduced in the 2025-2026 Legislative Session. This will be drafted with recommended revisions and explanations to the current NCEES Model Law Section 110.20 and Model Rules Section 210.25 relevant to surveying.  This will make the necessary revisions to bring the profession to today’s standards.  This will address a lot of what we were trying to accomplish in Old House Bill 609.

Finally, we will be introducing an amendment to HB 873, introduced by Representative Zimmerman, which is known as the Erosion and Sedimentation Control Permit Act.  This bill currently sits in the Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee.

We will be opposing Licensure exemption (SB 215), which was introduced by Senator Lisa Baker, on February 3rd.  This is the same piece of legislation, SB 1226, which she introduced near the end of the last legislative session.  We were successful in preventing that Bill from coming out of the Committee.  This legislation will provide a licensure exemption under the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law for employees, contractors and agents of public utilities, electric cooperatives and telecommunications companies. Utilities, electric co-ops, and telecommunications companies utilize both employees and contractors for field work including, but not limited to vegetation management, pole attachments, line construction and asset management. Under current law, utility and telecommunications company employees are already exempted. This legislation would extend the exemption to their contractors and agents and include the related industries of electric co-ops and cable and broadband service providers. This exemption is critical to the rapid and efficient deployment of much-needed broadband services to underserved areas of the Commonwealth.

With the amount of legislation that PSLS is attempting to get done and to accomplish our agenda, we must continue to donate to the Political Action Committee (PAC).  This will enable us to discuss pending legislation affecting the profession and allow us to protect the interests of surveyors.  I encourage everyone to consider donating to the PAC so that we can protect our profession!

Let’s not forget that the PAC is our voice!!  Please visit our website at www.psls.org to donate.

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