Pennsylvania House Bill HB208

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/17/25
• Refer: 1/17/25

Caption

An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in nomination of candidates, further providing for place and time of filing nomination petitions an . . .d filing fees.

Summary

House Bill 208 amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to change filing-fee rules for certain party committee candidates. Specifically, it removes the references to candidates for delegate or alternate delegate to a national party convention from the provision setting a $25 filing fee, leaving the fee applicable only to candidates for member of a national committee or state committee. The bill also keeps the existing requirement that nomination petitions be accompanied by the required filing fee, paid by certified check, money order, or cash when filed with a county board. In practical terms, the bill narrows the category of offices subject to the $25 filing fee under this section of the Election Code. It does not create a new fee or alter the amount; rather, it clarifies that delegate and alternate delegate positions are no longer included in this specific filing-fee provision. The act would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Impact

HB208 would amend Section 913(b.1) of the Pennsylvania Election Code, affecting the filing requirements for nomination petitions for certain party-related offices. The main legal effect is to revise which candidates must pay the $25 filing fee under this subsection, thereby changing election administration procedures for county boards, candidates, and party committee hopefuls. It would also preserve the existing handling of filing-fee payments as public funds deposited into the General Fund.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral and procedural. The measure reads as a technical election-law adjustment rather than a major policy change, and there is no evidence in the supplied record of organized support or opposition. The lack of transcripts or voting history suggests no notable public controversy is captured here.

Contention

The only apparent point of contention is the scope of the filing-fee requirement: HB208 removes delegate and alternate delegate positions from the list of offices subject to the $25 fee, while retaining the fee for national committee and state committee candidates. Any disagreement would likely center on whether those party-convention-related offices should continue to face a filing fee and whether the change simplifies or weakens candidate filing rules. No specific opponents or supporters are identified in the provided record.