Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility House passes legislation to protect property owners from hidden, compounding municipal fines

House passes legislation to protect property owners from hidden, compounding municipal fines

Rep. Nate Davidson    September 30, 2026 | 4:38 PM

HARRISBURG, Sept. 30 – State Rep. Nate Davidson’s legislation aimed at increasing transparency in local zoning enforcement passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today by a unanimous vote.

House Bill 2629 would update the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code to require local governments to explicitly notify property owners on initial violation notices if fines will be assessed on a daily, compounding basis.

The initiative originated in Davidson’s local district office when a Camp Hill resident reached out for assistance after being blindsided by municipal penalties. The constituent had received a standard violation notice, but the document failed to mention that fines would accrue every single day.

Believing there was ample time to resolve the issue, Davidson said the resident watched what initially appeared to be a routine administrative matter quietly snowball into thousands of dollars in compounding daily fines—ultimately forcing him to hire an attorney simply to manage the unexpected financial burden.

"No homeowner should ever be blindsided by hidden, runaway penalties simply because the initial paperwork was unclear," Davidson said. "When our neighbor from Camp Hill came to our district office with this issue, it was clear that current law had a costly blind spot. We took that real-world problem and crafted a common-sense legislative fix so that no other Pennsylvanian has to face an identical nightmare."

Under current Pennsylvania law, municipal violation notices are only required to state that "possible sanctions" be clearly described. In practice, this vague language has allowed per-day penalty structures to go unmentioned, leaving residents unaware of the immediate financial urgency.

House Bill 2629 replaces ambiguous statutory phrasing with an explicit requirement: if a compounding per-day charge applies, it must be stated clearly upfront on the initial notice.

Davidson said the legislation provides mutual benefits for both residents and municipal bodies:

  • Protects Property Owners: Delivers clear, upfront facts so residents understand the stakes immediately and can take swift corrective action before fines escalate.
  • Aids Municipalities: Encourages prompt compliance, the true objective of code enforcement, ensuring neighborhoods stay safe while avoiding lengthy administrative appeals and legal disputes.

"It is simply about basic fairness and transparency,” Davidson added. “When local government communicates clearly from day one, issues get resolved faster, neighborhoods stay compliant, and taxpayers are treated fairly."

House Bill 2629 now moves to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration.