# Pennsylvania HB 961: An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in dams, bar racks and migration devices, further providing for marking of dams. Pennsylvania HB 961, An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in dams, bar racks and migration devices, further providing for marking of dams., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Natalie Mihalek (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-10-22 (Act No. 69 of 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB961-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Pennsylvania HB 961 - State: Pennsylvania - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in dams, bar racks and migration devices, further providing for marking of dams. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-03-19 - Last action: 2026-10-22, Act No. 69 of 2026 - Sponsor: Natalie Mihalek (Republican) - Cosponsors: 16 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (542 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Criminal charges for dam zone violations: mixed, low. For failures to meet initial notice or marking duties, first offenses are first-degree summary offenses; later offenses are third-degree misdemeanors. Maintenance violations start as second-degree summary offenses, with later offenses treated as first-degree summary offenses. Violations of the rela… - Dam owners face shorter repair deadlines: mixed, low. Owners and permittees can appeal a DEP determination to the Environmental Hearing Board within 30 days of receiving notice. If the Board upholds it, they must comply within three months, rather than six. When signs or buoys are damaged by an act of God or someone else, owners and permittees must re… - Warnings and maps for hazardous dams: mixed, low. DEP must keep a current list of covered dams, including owner and location details, and share identifying data with the Fish and Boat Commission each year. A covered dam carries water over its structure and can create a roller or boil that may trap people below at certain flows. An owner includes a… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Natalie Mihalek (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Anita Astorino Kulik (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chris Pielli (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Danilo Burgos (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: David M. Delloso (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Gina H. Curry (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jeremy Shaffer (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jim Haddock (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Joe Hogan (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John C. Inglis III (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kristin Marcell (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Liz Hanbidge (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: R. Lee James (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Regina G. Young (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Robert Freeman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Robert E. Merski (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tina M. Davis (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-10-19 | House | House Bill 961 PN4053, FINAL PASSAGE | pass | 203 | 0 | | | 2026-10-19 | committee | 37 0 | pass | 37 | 0 | | | 2026-10-19 | House | House Bill 961, MOTION TO PROCEED TOPPER, HB 961 HB2706 HB1667 SB 1260 | pass | 202 | 1 | | | 2026-10-19 | committee | 11 0 | pass | 11 | 0 | | | 2026-10-19 | committee | 37 0 | pass | 37 | 0 | | | 2025-11-18 | committee | 26 0 | pass | 26 | 0 | | | 2025-11-18 | committee | 26 0 | pass | 26 | 0 | | ## Actions (22) - 2026-10-22: Act No. 69 of 2026 (Governor) - 2026-10-22: Approved by the Governor (Governor) - 2026-10-22: Presented to the Governor (Senate) - 2026-10-22: Signed in Senate (Senate) - 2026-10-21: Signed in House (Senate) - 2026-10-21: Third consideration and final passage (50-0) (Senate) - 2026-10-20: Re-reported as committed (Senate) - 2026-10-20: Re-referred to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-10-20: Second consideration (Senate) - 2026-10-19: First consideration (Senate) - 2026-10-19: Reported as committed (Senate) - 2026-10-19: Referred to Game & Fisheries (Senate) - 2026-10-19: Third consideration and final passage (203-0) (House) - 2026-10-19: Re-reported as amended (House) - 2026-10-19: Amended in House Committee on Appropriations (House) - 2026-10-07: Re-committed to Appropriations (House) - 2026-10-07: Second consideration (House) - 2026-10-06: Removed from table (House) - 2025-11-18: Laid on the table (House) - 2025-11-18: First consideration (House) - 2025-11-18: Reported as amended (House) - 2025-03-19: Referred to Game & Fisheries (House) ## Bill text - PN 4053, 2026-10-19: [HTML](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB0961/PN4053), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB0961/PN4053), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB0961/PN4053) - PN 2619, 2025-11-18: [HTML](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB0961/PN2619), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB0961/PN2619), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB0961/PN2619) - PN 1038, 2025-03-19: [HTML](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB0961/PN1038), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB0961/PN1038), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB0961/PN1038) ## Related bills - HB 2545: An Act providing for insurance coverage for vaginal estrogen for the treatment of menopausal symptoms and urinary tract infections. (passed house) - HB 1827: An Act providing for medical assistance coverage and insurance coverage of screening, prevention and treatment measures for osteoporosis as a result of menopau… (passed house) - HB 2826: An Act amending Title 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for firefighter cancer screening and for firefighter cancer screening… (passed house) - HB 2023: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in recovery of possession, further providing for hearin… (passed house) - HB 1345: An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, providing for medical assistance coverage for… (passed house) - HB 1346: An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, in casualty insurance, providing for menopause treatment… (passed house) ## Sources - [PN 4053 (HTML)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB0961/PN4053) - [PN 4053 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB0961/PN4053) - [PN 4053 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB0961/PN4053) - [PN 2619 (HTML)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB0961/PN2619) - [PN 2619 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB0961/PN2619) - [PN 2619 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB0961/PN2619) - [PN 1038 (HTML)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB0961/PN1038) - [PN 1038 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB0961/PN1038) - [PN 1038 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB0961/PN1038) ## Related - [HB 2545: An Act providing for insurance coverage for vaginal estrogen for the treatment…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB2545-2025-2026) - [HB 1827: An Act providing for medical assistance coverage and insurance coverage of scre…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1827-2025-2026) - [HB 2826: An Act amending Title 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes,…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB2826-2025-2026) - [HB 2023: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB2023-2025-2026) - [HB 1345: An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Se…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1345-2025-2026) - [HB 1346: An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insuran…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1346-2025-2026) - [Pennsylvania bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/pennsylvania/bills) - [Pennsylvania state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/pennsylvania) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB961-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-04).