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AI Laws in Pennsylvania
As of 2026-08-12, AI Laws USA tracks 36 AI rules in Pennsylvania: 20 state-level rules and 16 county or city rules. Federal AI protections apply statewide on top of these — see the federal page. Each entry links to its official source.
Pennsylvania state-level AI rules (20)
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Blocked / in litigation
PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot)
Pennsylvania · Effective 2026-05-01 · Commonwealth v. Character Technologies, Inc. (Pa. Commonwealth Ct., filed May 1, 2026)
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed suit in Commonwealth Court on May 1, 2026, alleging that Character.AI's companion chatbot 'Emilie' impersonated a licensed Pennsylvania psychiatrist and provided ongoing psychiatric advice and treatment to users without a license. The Shapiro administration seeks a preliminary injunction requiring Character.AI to clearly disclose that its chatbots are not licensed mental health professionals and cannot provide medical treatment.
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Enacted (not yet in effect)
PA HB 1924 data center water/energy reporting (signed July 12, 2026)
PA · Pennsylvania HB 1924 (signed July 12, 2026, FY2026-27 budget), annual data center water/energy reporting mandate
Pennsylvania now requires data centers to report their water and energy use every year. The mandate — House Bill 1924, signed July 12, 2026 as part of the state's 2026-27 budget — carries fines of $10,000 per day for facilities that fail to report. The Department of Environmental Protection will publish an annual aggregate report, and the data is expected to improve grid-demand forecasting in the PJM region.
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In effect
Model Tariff Framework for Large Load Customers (Docket M-20
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission · Effective 2026-04-30 · Model Tariff Framework for Large Load Customers (Docket M-2025-3054271)
The Pennsylvania PUC adopted a first-of-its-kind model tariff framework requiring large load customers exceeding 50 MW individually or 100 MW in aggregate (e.g., data centers) to bear interconnection upgrade costs, post financial assurances, and follow a public application queue so existing ratepayers are not saddled with their costs.
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In effect
AG Sunday Leads Coalition of 42 Attorneys General in Letter
Pennsylvania · Effective 2025-12-10 · AG Sunday Leads Coalition of 42 Attorneys General in Letter to A.I. Software Companies Demanding Safeguards to Protect Vulnerable Residents from Harmful Interactions with Bots
Pennsylvania AG Dave Sunday led a coalition of 42 state attorneys general demanding that major AI chatbot companies implement testing, recall procedures, and consumer warnings to protect vulnerable users, especially children, from harmful bot interactions.
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In effect
PA Digital Forgery Law
Pennsylvania · Effective 2025-09-05 · 2025 Pa. Laws Act 35 (SB 649); 18 Pa. C.S. § 4935
Pennsylvania created the crime of 'digital forgery': making a forged AI-generated likeness of someone with intent to defraud or injure is a first-degree misdemeanor, escalating to a third-degree felony for financial fraud — directly targeting AI voice-clone scams like fake grandchild emergency calls. A clear fake-content disclaimer is an affirmative defense.
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In effect
PA Deepfake/CSAM Law (Act 125)
Pennsylvania · Effective 2024-12-28 · 2024 Pa. Laws Act 125 (SB 1213); 18 Pa. C.S. §§ 3131, 6312
Pennsylvania criminalized creating and distributing sexual deepfakes of any person, and classified AI-generated sexual depictions of minors as child sexual abuse material. The Attorney General has already charged people under this law.
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In effect
PA DOI AI Bulletin
PA · Effective 2024-04-06 · Pennsylvania ID Insurance Notice 2024-04 (54 Pa.B. 1910) (2024-04-06)
The PA Department of Insurance adopted the NAIC Model Bulletin on Use of Artificial Intelligence Systems by Insurers. Insurers licensed in PA must maintain a written AI program with governance, risk-management, testing, third-party-AI oversight, and documentation controls. The bulletin operationalizes existing unfair-trade-practice and unfair-discrimination law as applied to insurers' AI use cases — underwriting, pricing, claims, fraud detection, and marketing.
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In effect
Penn State systemwide Generative AI Guidelines
Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) · Effective 2024-01-01 · Penn State systemwide Generative AI Guidelines
Penn State's systemwide AI guidelines set responsible-use rules covering FERPA/HIPAA compliance, output verification, accessibility review of AI tools, disclosure, and restrictions on AI-assisted grading across its multi-campus system.
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In effect
PA EO 2023-19 (GenAI)
PA · Effective 2023-09-20 · Pa. Exec. Order No. 2023-19 (Sept. 20, 2023)
Governor Shapiro's EO 2023-19 establishes Pennsylvania's Generative AI Governing Board and sets 10 core values (accuracy, adaptability, employee empowerment, equity and fairness, innovation, mission alignment, privacy, proportionality, safety and security, and transparency) that govern Commonwealth agencies' use of generative AI tools.
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In effect
PA Act 130 of 2022 (HAVs)
Pennsylvania · Effective 2022-11-03 · Act 130 of 2022; 75 Pa. C.S. Ch. 88
Pennsylvania's comprehensive AV law authorized fully driverless operation, created a PennDOT permitting regime for testing and commercial deployment, required incident reporting to PennDOT and State Police, and authorized 'highly automated work zone vehicles' and platooning. Pennsylvania had been an AV testing hub since 2016 under non-statutory PennDOT guidance; Act 130 finally codified the framework.
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In effect
SEPTA ZeroEyes AI Gun-Detection Pilot Program
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) · Effective 2022-11-01 · SEPTA ZeroEyes AI Gun-Detection Pilot Program
SEPTA's board approved a ZeroEyes AI gun-detection pilot layered on its 30,000+ cameras to flag brandished firearms within seconds, but the year-long pilot was ended after the aging analog camera infrastructure proved incompatible.
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In effect
PA PDD law (Act 130/2020)
Pennsylvania · Effective 2021-01-04 · Act 130 of 2020; 75 Pa. C.S. § 3550
Pennsylvania authorized personal delivery devices to operate on sidewalks, shoulders, and roadways up to 25 mph (high relative to most PDD laws), requires $100,000 liability insurance, and reserves limited regulation to local governments.
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Proposed / pending
Pennsylvania Municipal Data Center Moratorium Bills (Coleman
Pennsylvania · Pennsylvania Municipal Data Center Moratorium Bills (Coleman / Friel)
Two Pennsylvania bills advancing in the Senate would authorize municipalities to enact temporary moratoriums (up to 18 months and six months) on data center development applications.
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Proposed / pending
House Bill 2512 — Banning surveillance pricing by rideshare
Pennsylvania · House Bill 2512 — Banning surveillance pricing by rideshare companies
Pennsylvania's House passed HB 2512 to prohibit transportation network companies (Uber/Lyft) from using consumers' personal data to set individualized 'surveillance' prices, now advancing to the Senate.
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Proposed / pending
Senate Bill 1345 - Municipal Data Center Development Morator
Pennsylvania · Senate Bill 1345 - Municipal Data Center Development Moratorium Authority
Pennsylvania SB 1345, which would let municipalities impose an 18-month moratorium on unapproved and new data center applications while they revise zoning and policies, advanced out of the Senate Local Government Committee to the Senate floor.
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Proposed / pending
HB2678
PA · PA HB2678 (2025-2026 Regular Session)
An Act amending Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in powers and duties, further providing for definitions and providing for artificial intelligence.
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Proposed / pending
HB2666
PA · PA HB2666 (2025-2026 Regular Session)
An Act providing for limitations on the use of user data in the creation of artificial intelligence simulations and for private right of action; and imposing penalties.
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Proposed / pending
HB2669
PA · PA HB2669 (2025-2026 Regular Session)
An Act providing for employer disclosure when employee layoffs occur due to an employer's use of artificial intelligence or other technological change; and imposing civil penalties.
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Proposed / pending
HB2359
PA · PA HB2359 (2025-2026 Regular Session)
An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), entitled "An act relating to tax reform and State taxation by codifying and enumerating certain subjects of taxation and imposing taxes thereon; providing procedures for the payment, collection, administration and enforcement thereof; providing for tax credits in certain cases; conferring powers and imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue, certain employers, fiduciaries, individuals, persons, corporations and other entities; prescribing crimes, offenses and penalties," in computer data center equipment incentive program, further pr
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Proposed / pending
HB2516
PA · PA HB2516 (2025-2026 Regular Session)
An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in general provisions, further providing for definitions; in comprehensive plan, providing for comprehensive plan element for commercial data centers; and, in zoning, providing for zoning, commercial data centers and agricultural land protections and for zoning, commercial data centers, approval procedure and minimum standards.
County and city AI rules in Pennsylvania (16)
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In effect
Foster Twp PA data center zoning restriction (2026)
Foster Township, PA · Effective 2026-07-08 · Foster Township, Luzerne County, Pa. zoning ordinance amendment (adopted 2026-07-08); no ordinance number on the document
The amendment defines 'Data Center' — expressly including cryptocurrency mining, blockchain transaction processing and server farms — and 'Data Center Accessory Use', then sets the use table so data centers are NOT permitted in the B-2, B-3, A-1, C-1, I-1, I-2 and S-1 districts, and are allowed only as a conditional use in the AEO energy overlay district. New supplemental regulations impose a 2,000-foot setback from all property lines and from sensitive uses, a 40-foot height cap inclusive of roof-mounted equipment, a mandatory enclosing buffer, preliminary, interim and as-built acoustical studies enforcing a 65 dB(A) daytime limit, a vibration study, a water feasibility study with drawdown testing of wells within 3,000 feet and DRBC approval where thresholds are met, DEP/SEO wastewater approval, electric-provider capacity certification, NFPA 30/70/75/76/110/855 compliance, a fire-department-accepted Emergency Response Plan with applicant-funded municipal cost mitigation, and a decommissioning plan backed by bond or escrow reviewed bi-annually.
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Blocked / in litigation
Liu v. Willow Bridge/RealPage (Philadelphia)
Philadelphia, PA · Effective 2026-07-28 · Liu et al. v. Willow Bridge Property Co. & RealPage, Inc., Phila. County Ct. of Common Pleas (filed July 28, 2026)
Three class-action lawsuits were filed in Philadelphia's Court of Common Pleas on July 28, 2026 — the first known enforcement actions under Philadelphia's algorithmic rent-fixing ban (Bill 240823). Tenant Yiyao Liu and others sued Willow Bridge Property Co. (one of the largest U.S. residential property managers) and RealPage Inc., alleging Willow Bridge used RealPage's software to obtain rent recommendations derived from nonpublic competitor data in violation of the city ordinance. Plaintiffs seek treble damages or $2,000 statutory amount per violation, plus injunctive relief.
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In effect
South Strabane Data Center Ordinance
South Strabane Township, PA · Effective 2026-06-10 · South Strabane Twp., Pa., data center ordinance (adopted June 10, 2026)
South Strabane Township (Washington County, Pennsylvania) adopted an ordinance on June 10, 2026 setting where and how data centers can be built — including a 1,500-foot buffer from any occupied home, a 30-acre minimum lot size, and height limits. The board passed it unanimously after a standing-room-only public hearing, along with a companion noise and dust ordinance.
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In effect
Montgomery County PA Generative AI Governance Policy
Montgomery County, PA · Effective 2025-11-18 · Montgomery County PA Commissioners policy (2025) (2025-11-18)
Montgomery County PA (Norristown) adopted AI governance policy: bars PII/PHI in public LLMs, requires CIO approval for AI procurement, mandates inventory of AI tools, and requires impact review before deployment in benefits or eligibility contexts.
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In effect
Philadelphia Bill 240823 — Algorithmic Rent-Fixing Ban
Philadelphia, PA · Effective 2024-11-13 · Philadelphia Bill No. 240823 (adopted Oct. 24, 2024; signed Nov. 13, 2024; effective Nov. 13, 2024)
Philadelphia's Bill 240823 (sponsored by Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke, passed 17-0 on October 24, 2024 and signed November 13, 2024) bars landlords from using revenue-management software that pools private competitor leasing data to coordinate rents, with fines up to $2,000 per violation and a private right of action for tenants. On July 28, 2026 three class-action lawsuits were filed — the first known enforcement actions under the ordinance — against Willow Bridge Property Co. and RealPage Inc.
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In effect
Pittsburgh Regulation of Facial Recognition and Predictive Policing Technologies
Pittsburgh, PA · Effective 2020-09-22 · Pittsburgh File 2020-0647 (2020-09-22)
Requires council approval before city or police use of face-recognition or predictive-policing tools (state JNET excluded).
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In effect
Sharon PA data center zoning guardrails (July 2026)
Sharon, PA · City of Sharon, PA zoning ordinance on data center siting and operations (reported July 16, 2026)
Sharon, Pennsylvania (Mercer County, in the Shenango Valley) adopted zoning guardrails for data centers: they may only be sited in industrial districts and must meet operating requirements. The change was reported by WFMJ on July 16, 2026.
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In effect
School District of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Effective 2025-09-01 · School District of Philadelphia — Generative AI Guidelines (PASS program) (2025-09-01)
Approves Google Gemini and Adobe Express with Firefly in a 'walled garden' configuration so user data is not used to train external LLMs. Paired with a three-tier UPenn-developed PD program (PASS).
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In effect
Central Bucks School District GoGuardian Beacon Student Moni
Central Bucks School District, PA · Effective 2023-03-01 · Central Bucks School District GoGuardian Beacon Student Monitoring Trial
Central Bucks SD (PA) authorized a district-wide trial of GoGuardian Beacon to conduct 24/7 AI monitoring of middle- and high-school students' online activity on district devices, with a potential $114,000+ subscription pending trial-data review.
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In effect
Ordinance requiring City Council approval before police use
Pittsburgh, PA · Effective 2020-09-22 · Ordinance requiring City Council approval before police use of facial recognition and predictive policing technology
Pittsburgh's City Council barred the police bureau from obtaining or using facial recognition or predictive policing technology without prior City Council approval, functioning as a moratorium on new use.
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In effect
PA Allegheny AFST
Allegheny County, PA · Effective 2016-08-01 · Allegheny County DHS AFST Methodology (May 2019 update)
Allegheny County deploys a predictive risk model — the Allegheny Family Screening Tool — to score child-welfare hotline calls. Decisions to screen-in cases for investigation incorporate AFST scores. The DOJ has investigated the tool for ADA discrimination concerns; the county continues to operate it with documented protocols.
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Enacted (not yet in effect)
Berlin Township Data Center Ordinance
Berlin Township, Wayne County · Berlin Township Data Center Ordinance
Berlin Township in Wayne County, PA passed a data center ordinance setting mitigation limits on noise, water depletion, diesel backup generators, heat, light, and radiation for data center development.
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Enacted (not yet in effect)
180-Day Curative Amendment Moratorium on Data Center Zoning
Hazle Township, Luzerne County · 180-Day Curative Amendment Moratorium on Data Center Zoning
Hazle Township supervisors unanimously enacted a 180-day curative amendment imposing a moratorium while officials draft new zoning rules specifically regulating data centers and data center accessory uses.
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Enacted (not yet in effect)
180-Day Moratorium on Data Center Development
Brookville Borough · 180-Day Moratorium on Data Center Development
Brookville Borough Council (Jefferson County) unanimously passed a 180-day moratorium on data center development, pausing projects into December while the borough drafts regulations, largely over water-supply concerns.
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In effect
Pittsburgh GenAI Use Policy
Pittsburgh, PA · City of Pittsburgh internal GenAI policy (2023, updated 2024)
Pittsburgh adopted an internal policy on generative AI use by city staff, informed by the University of Pittsburgh's Task Force on Public Algorithms. It bars staff from entering private city data into tools like ChatGPT, prohibits AI use in applications that affect residents' rights or safety, forbids relying on generative AI for decisions, and requires AI use to be disclosed and logged.
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Proposed / pending
Catawissa Township PA Data Center Overlay, Ord. 01-2026 (hearing July 30, 2026)
Catawissa Township, PA · Catawissa Township, PA proposed Ordinance 01-2026 (Data Center Overlay), public hearing July 30, 2026
Catawissa Township in Columbia County, Pennsylvania has proposed Ordinance 01-2026, which would create a Data Center Overlay district — restricting where data centers can be sited in the township via a designated overlay map. A public hearing is scheduled for July 30, 2026.
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