PRINTER'S NO. 1642
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1116
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY KILLION, AUMENT, BAKER, BARTOLOTTA, BREWSTER,
COLLETT, DINNIMAN, FARNESE, FONTANA, MENSCH, MUTH, SCHWANK,
STEFANO, TOMLINSON, VOGEL AND A. WILLIAMS, APRIL 17, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
APRIL 17, 2020
AN ACT
Prohibiting foreclosure and eviction of business owners during
the proclamation of disaster emergency issued by the
Governor.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the COVID-19
Outbreak Moratorium on Foreclosure and Eviction of Business
Owners.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Moratorium." The duration of a proclamation of disaster
emergency issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020, published at
50 Pa.B. 1644 (March 21, 2020), and any renewal of the state of
disaster emergency, and for 90 days thereafter.
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Section 3. Moratorium.
(a) Temporary moratorium.--Notwithstanding a contrary
provision of another law, for the duration of the temporary
moratorium a financial institution may not foreclose on the
property of and a landlord may not evict a business owner
experiencing financial hardship. This subsection applies only to
evictions for nonpayment of rent.
(b) Certification.--A business owner seeking protection
under subsection (a) shall, during the time period under
subsection (a), certify to the financial institution or
landlord, in a sworn statement made under penalty of perjury,
that the business owner is experiencing financial hardship.
(c) Fees and penalties.--A landlord or financial institution
may not charge any penalties, late fees or interest for
nonpayment that occurred during the moratorium period. A
landlord may not impose any change or terminate the lease due to
the nonpayment of rent during the moratorium period.
(d) Enforcement.--This section shall be deemed an exercise
of the police power of the Commonwealth for the protection of
the public safety during the temporary moratorium due to the
COVID-19 outbreak and shall be liberally construed for the
accomplishment of this purpose.
Section 4. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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