Senate Urban Affairs & Housing Committee to Receive Update on Downtown Location Law

HARRISBURG – The Senate Urban Affairs & Housing Committee, chaired by Senator David G. Argall (R-29), will receive an update on the Downtown Location Law on Wednesday, October 16 at 10:15 a.m.

The law requires, with some exemptions, state agencies to locate within a downtown.

Argall, who authored the original law, said the original intent is to create new private-sector jobs by increasing commerce and economic development in downtown communities. Prior to the original law, Act 32 of 2000, the state had no requirements on where to locate a state agency.

“Several downtown revitalization advocates have pointed to the positive success of the law, including an increase in local private-sector jobs,” Argall said. “This hearing will give us an update from the state and Pennsylvania Downtown Center as to the progress of this law.”

The hearing will feature testimony from Department of General Services Secretary Sheri Phillips and Pennsylvania Downtown Center Executive Director Bill Fontana.

The department is tasked with signing leases for state agency offices across the state.

In 2012, the legislature approved a measure sponsored by Argall to require increased coordination between the state and downtowns to ensure redevelopment plans are not hampered and that the state is fitting into the community’s goals for growth.

The hearing can be live streamed on Senator Argall’s website at https://www.senatorargall.com/.

The hearing will take place in the North Office Building’s Hearing Room 1 in the state Capitol.

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