Pennsylvania House Advances Data Center Bills

Bipartisan legislation aims to address data center development in the state.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 3:41am

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A photorealistic studio still-life photograph of a sleek, metallic data server tower resting on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the state's approach to data center development.Polished data hardware symbolizes Pennsylvania's efforts to attract new digital infrastructure investments while addressing local zoning and regulatory concerns.Harrisburg Today

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed bipartisan bills focused on addressing the development of data centers in the commonwealth. The separate legislation proposes the creation of an optional model zoning ordinance to help guide local municipalities in regulating data center projects.

Why it matters

As the demand for cloud computing and digital infrastructure continues to grow, the development of data centers has become an important economic consideration for many states and local communities. These bills aim to provide a framework to help Pennsylvania attract new data center investments while also addressing potential zoning and regulatory concerns.

The details

The proposed legislation would establish an optional model zoning ordinance that local municipalities could adopt to regulate the construction and operation of data centers. This would include provisions related to site selection, building requirements, and environmental impact assessments.

  • The Pennsylvania House voted on the bills in April 2026.

The players

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

The lower chamber of the Pennsylvania state legislature, which has passed bipartisan bills to address data center development in the commonwealth.

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What’s next

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

The takeaway

These bills demonstrate Pennsylvania's efforts to balance economic development opportunities presented by the data center industry with appropriate zoning and regulatory oversight to address community concerns.