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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 13, 2023 02:58 PM |
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| From: | Representative Joe Ciresi |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Making the Littering Acknowledgment Easier to Understand |
| A study conducted from 2018 to 2019 found over 500 million pieces of litter on roadways in our state. The presence of litter degrades our natural environment, threatens public health, and negatively impacts community pride. It’s also expensive to taxpayers, as another 2019 study found that nine Pennsylvania cities spent a combined $68.5 million annually on littering prevention, education, and enforcement. In response to this problem, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Transportation (PennDOT) developed Pennsylvania’s Litter Action Plan in 2021, with recommendations intended to reduce the amount of litter statewide. One of these recommendations was to make the acknowledgment of Pennsylvania’s anti-littering provisions printed on each vehicle registration card and application for a driver’s license or learner’s permit easier to understand. Because the current acknowledgment is written to mirror statutory language, it is unnecessarily lengthy and difficult to read. That is why I am introducing legislation in line with the suggestions found in Pennsylvania’s Litter Action Plan to make the littering acknowledgement easier to understand. This bill will replace the current statements with one concise, plain-language acknowledgement. The content of the acknowledgement will also be more visible and mention litter pick-up community service as a penalty for violations. These changes will increase the likelihood that drivers will notice, understand, and follow Pennsylvania’s laws against littering. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation to help combat littering in Pennsylvania and keep our state beautiful. Your consideration is greatly appreciated. |
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| View Attachment | ||
Introduced as HB1044