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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 20, 2020 01:41 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Daniel Laughlin |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Reducing the Statute of Repose for Construction Projects |
| In the near future, I will introduce legislation to reduce the statute of repose for construction projects from twelve years to six years. Statutes of repose define the time period after completion of services during which legal action may be brought against architects, engineers and contractors. Pennsylvania's current statute of repose for construction is twelve years, among the longest terms in the United States. Nationwide legislative and industry trends suggest a six year period of repose to be more appropriate. The average useful life of a building is in decline, and renovations of some buildings now occur closer to original construction. Architects and engineers should not be sued over a decade after construction for issues that arise from poor maintenance or renovations more than from the original building design. States including Delaware, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Washington have a six year statute of repose. This length of time offers ample opportunity for building owners to identify design and construction deficiencies and to hold the appropriate parties accountable. Please join me in sponsoring this reform, which will reduce the chance for frivolous lawsuits against our building design specialists and put us in line with the current legislative and industry trends. |