House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

Posted:	January 22, 2021 11:34 AM
From:	Representative Michael J. Driscoll
To:	All House members
Subject:	Requiring Bonding for Contractors Performing Work on Adjoining Properties

Imagine sitting in your home, just another normal day. When all of a sudden your house starts to collapse. Sadly, this was real life for a 94-year-old Philadelphia grandmother with dementia, who had to escape from her home in her wheelchair because the contractor performing work on the adjoining property caused a structural collapse. Within days, the rowhome she shared with her late husband and family for decades was gone. Both houses had to be demolished because the damage the contractor caused posed a risk to the public. In order to prevent other families from having to face this same hardship, my legislation will require a contractor to purchase a surety bond of $500,000 which would be solely used to cover the costs of any damages incurred during construction to a residential adjoining property, such as a rowhome. A contractor must show proof of bonding to the municipality before any permits could be issued. I ask that you support this legislation and join me in helping protect Pennsylvania families from having to face undue hardships when accidents happen due to the neighbor’s construction work.
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Introduced as HB495