2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 74 - COUNTY CODE - ASCERTAINMENT, CERTIFICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGE OF CLASS AND REPEALS

Session of 2021

No. 2021-74

HB 1591

AN ACT

Amending the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), entitled "An act relating to counties of the first, second class A, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth classes; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the laws relating thereto; relating to imposition of excise taxes by counties, including authorizing imposition of an excise tax on the rental of motor vehicles by counties of the first class; and providing for regional renaissance initiatives," in names and corporate powers, classification of counties, further providing for ascertainment, certification and effect of change of class; and making related repeals.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 211 of the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code, is amended by adding a subsection to read:

Section 211.  Ascertainment, Certification and Effect of Change of Class.--* * *

(d)  Unless the board of commissioners of a county meeting the requisite county population levels in section 210 enacts an ordinance or adopts a resolution approving a change of classification prior to February 22, 2022, as a result of the delays in the 2020 Federal decennial census and the COVID-19 pandemic, the classification of all counties as of the effective date of this subsection shall remain unchanged until the 2030 census, at which time the procedures established in subsections (a), (b) and (c) shall apply. For the purposes of determining whether a county has decreased in population so as to recede in classification under subsection (b) following the 2030 decennial census, both the 2020 and 2030 decennial censuses shall be considered.

Section 2.  Repeals are as follows:

(1)  The General Assembly declares that the repeals under paragraph (2) are necessary to effectuate the addition of section 211(d) of the act.

(2)  Sections 210 and 211 of the act of July 28, 1953 (P.L.723, No.230), known as the Second Class County Code, are repealed.

Section 3.  This act shall take effect September 30, 2021, or immediately, whichever is later.

APPROVED--The 1st day of October, A.D. 2021.

TOM WOLF