Pennsylvania House Passes Bipartisan Bills to Increase Data Center Oversight

New legislation aims to hold data centers accountable for water and energy usage across the state.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:24pm

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A dynamic, abstract painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and lines in shades of blue and gray, conceptually representing the rapid growth of data infrastructure in Pennsylvania.As data centers continue to spread across Pennsylvania, new legislation aims to hold these facilities accountable for their water and energy usage.Harrisburg Today

The Pennsylvania House has passed two bipartisan bills, House Bill 1250 and House Bill 1251, that will require data centers across the Commonwealth to regularly report their annual water and energy consumption, as well as their impact on the state's water and power grid. The bills were supported by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, though some Republicans expressed concerns about overregulation.

Why it matters

As data centers continue to proliferate across Pennsylvania, there are growing concerns from local communities about the impact these facilities have on water and energy resources. The new legislation is aimed at providing transparency and accountability around data center operations to ensure they are being responsible neighbors.

The details

House Bill 1250 and House Bill 1251 passed the Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania House with bipartisan support. The bills would mandate that data centers report their annual water and energy usage, as well as their impact on the state's infrastructure. Some Republican lawmakers, like House Republican Leader Jesse Topper, voted against the bills, arguing that it was premature to implement new regulations before fully understanding the data center market. However, other Republicans, like Rep. Marc Anderson, supported the bills, citing concerns from constituents in their districts about data center usage.

  • The Pennsylvania House passed the two bills on April 14, 2026.

The players

Jesse Topper

House Republican Leader who voted against the bills, arguing they could overregulate the data center market before fully understanding its needs.

Marc Anderson

Republican state representative who voted in favor of the bills, citing concerns from constituents in his district about data center usage.

Kyle Mullins

Democratic state representative who sponsored House Bill 1250, arguing that residents deserve transparency as data centers continue to proliferate across the Commonwealth.

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What they’re saying

“'One of the worst things state government can do is overregulate before we know actually what we need to regulate. I believe that's why a lot of members voted no, [because of] the uncertainty of what that would put in terms of the market that's out there.'”

— Jesse Topper, House Republican Leader

“'There's a musical that I love, '1776,' where Lyman Hall—who represents Georgia—says, 'Until I figured this out, I'll lean a little on their side.' And that's really what led me to vote the way that I did.'”

— Marc Anderson, Republican state representative

“'If they want to come in and be responsive and responsible neighbors, they must respect our local communities. We are seeing this reckless gold rush and heavy construction of data centers. My priority is not to corporations.'”

— Kyle Mullins, Democratic state representative

What’s next

The bills will now move to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration.

The takeaway

This bipartisan legislation reflects growing concerns among Pennsylvania lawmakers and residents about the impact of the proliferation of data centers on the state's water and energy resources. The new reporting requirements aim to provide transparency and accountability, ensuring data centers are being responsible corporate citizens.