Pennsylvania Act 1994-64 — INCORPORATED TOWNS - ADOPTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF ORDINANCES

Act text

INCORPORATED TOWNS - ADOPTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF ORDINANCES
                  Act of Jul. 1, 1994, P.L. 409, No. 64               Cl. 08
                                  AN ACT

     Providing for the general authorization of incorporated towns to
        adopt ordinances; providing for publication, fines and
        penalties; and making a repeal.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

     Section 1.  General authorization to adopt ordinances.
        The town council of an incorporated town may adopt ordinances
     prescribing the manner in which powers of the incorporated town
     shall be carried out and generally regulating the affairs of the
     incorporated town.
     Section 2.  Publication.
        Except where otherwise specifically provided by statute,
     every proposed ordinance or resolution of an incorporated town
     of a legislative character shall be published once in one
     newspaper of general circulation in the town not more than 60
     days nor less than seven days prior to passage. Publication of
     any proposed ordinance shall include either the full text
     thereof or the title and a brief summary prepared by the town
     solicitor setting forth all the provisions in reasonable detail
     and a reference to a place within the incorporated town where
     copies of the proposed ordinance may be examined. If the full
     text is not included, a copy thereof shall be supplied to a
     newspaper of general circulation in the town at the time the
     public notice is published. If the full text is not included, an
     attested copy thereof shall be filed in the county law library
     or other county office designated by the county commissioners
     who may impose a fee no greater than that necessary to cover the
     actual costs of storing said ordinances. In the event
     substantial amendments are made in the proposed ordinance or
     resolution, upon enactment, council shall, within ten days,
     readvertise, in one newspaper of general circulation in the
     town, a brief summary setting forth all the provisions in
     reasonable detail together with a summary of the amendments.
     Section 3.  Fines and penalties.
        The town council may also prescribe fines and penalties not
     exceeding $1,000 for a violation of a building, housing,
     property maintenance, health, fire or public safety code or
     ordinance and for water, air and noise pollution violations and
     not exceeding $600 for a violation of any other town ordinance,
     which fines and penalties may be collected by suit, brought in
     the name of the incorporated town in like manner as debts of
     like amount may be sued for.
     Section 4.  Summary offense.
        Any person violating any of the ordinances adopted by the
     town council shall, upon conviction thereof in a summary
     proceeding, be sentenced to pay such fine as may be prescribed
     in such ordinances by the town council but not in excess of
     $1,000, to be paid to the use of the incorporated town, with
     costs of prosecution, or to be imprisoned for not more than ten
     days, or both.
     Section 5.  Repeal.
        The act of April 14, 1949 (P.L.443, No.73), entitled "An act
     providing for the publication of ordinances and resolutions of a
     legislative character of incorporated towns," is repealed.
     Section 6.  Effective date.
        This act shall take effect immediately.