Designating the month of April 2026 as "Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe Digging Month."
Summary
House Resolution 403 designates April 2026 as “Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe Digging Month.” The resolution is a public-awareness measure focused on encouraging excavators, contractors, engineers, designers, and homeowners to contact Pennsylvania One Call (8-1-1 or 1-800-242-1776) before digging or demolishing so underground utility lines can be marked and damage can be avoided. It emphasizes the safety, environmental, and service-reliability benefits of advance notification and reminds the public that three business days’ notice is required by law before excavation begins.
The resolution also highlights the Pennsylvania One Call System’s role in preventing injuries, utility outages, and environmental harm, noting its long history and broad statewide use. It frames Pennsylvania’s Underground Utility Line Protection Law, commonly called the One Call Act, as a model for other states and countries, and it encourages residents to “Know What’s Below” and use the PA 811 system for more information.
Impact
Because HR403 is a resolution rather than a statute, it does not change substantive law or create new regulatory requirements. Its legal effect is ceremonial and educational: it formally recognizes April 2026 as Safe Digging Month and reinforces existing obligations under Pennsylvania’s Underground Utility Line Protection Law, including the requirement to notify the one-call system before digging. The resolution is aimed at excavators, homeowners, utility owners, and the public, with the practical impact of promoting compliance, reducing utility strikes, and supporting public safety and infrastructure protection.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad, positive support. It passed the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee unanimously and then passed the House floor overwhelmingly, 197-3. The language of the resolution is strongly supportive of the Pennsylvania One Call System and safe-digging practices, and the voting history suggests little controversy overall.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record. The resolution is largely noncontroversial and promotional, but the few no votes on the House floor indicate that a small number of members did not support it, likely reflecting general opposition to the resolution or to ceremonial measures rather than disagreement with safe digging itself. No committee transcript issues or substantive objections are provided in the record.
Recognizing the month of April 2026 as "Fair Housing Month" in Pennsylvania and designating April 30, 2026, as "Affordable Homeownership Day" in Pennsylvania.