ASCA Legislative Update: Positive News In PA

There's positive legislative news to report from Harrisburg, Pa. On Monday, Nov. 15, House Bill 1665, which the ASCA crafted and gathered state legislative support for, was voted out of the Insurance Committee and to the floor of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for a full vote

The ASCA’s model legislation, the Snow Removal Limited Liability Act, which has become law in Illinois, Colorado, and Connecticut, makes a contract null and void when the property owner or property management company passes their liability onto the snow and ice management company. The association and its Pennsylvania members have been lobbying for this legislation for the last four years.

It is critical for Pennsylvania snow professionals to reach out to their representatives in Harrisburg and voice their support to vote the bill out of the House and on to the state Senate, says ASCA Executive Director Kevin Gilbride.

"It is important for elected representatives to now hear from Pennsylvania snow contractors on the importance of bringing this bill to the House floor for a vote within the next 10 days," he says. "In fact, we've made it easy for snow professionals to respond in a unified voice."

Pennsylvania snow professionals are encouraged to CLICK HERE to locate their elected state representatives. Once on the site, contractors can click the white envelope under their rep's picture and paste and send the following message:

Please support House Bill 1665, the Snow Removal Limited Liability Act, which the Insurance Committee recently voted on unanimously. I am a professional snow and ice contractor living in your district. This bill would go a long way to properly assign liability and make your district safer. It will also help control skyrocketing insurance rates for all snow and ice management companies – which are owned and run by Pennsylvania entrepreneurs.

Gilbride adds the ASCA and its snow industry partners in Pennsylvania continue their lobbying efforts to get the bill voted out of the House and on to the Senate where it will go through the same process. If successfully voted out of the Senate, the bill would then head to the governor to sign into law.