In every corner of our state and along too many of our roads, litter is a big, unsightly, harmful, and expensive problem. The Pennsylvania Litter Research Study conducted by DEP, PennDOT, and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful estimated that there are over 500 million pieces of litter on our roadways. That same study found that 90 percent of Pennsylvanians believe litter is a problem, having a negative impact on the environment, waterways, property values, tourism, and businesses, but also overwhelmingly believe it’s unlikely for someone to actually get caught or fined for littering. We need to improve our litter laws and how we enforce them.
 
Both the Litter Research Study and the subsequent state Litter Action Plan called on the Commonwealth and the General Assembly to review the effectiveness of our litter ordinances, laws, statutes, and regulations, and to take action to improve their enforcement. In what was described as a “first step in this process,” PalmettoPride and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful completed a joint study on litter law enforcement in 2023, highlighting important issues that were brought up by law enforcement and judicial officers.
 
To take the next step in the process to reform and improve our litter laws, I plan to introduce a resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study and issue recommendations on litter law enforcement in Pennsylvania. This study would focus on the areas that have been identified as needing improvement, including penalties and fine structure, the administration of community service sentences, inconsistency in litter-related offenses across different statutes, and more.
 
Guided by the experience of those who work in litter enforcement in Pennsylvania and by best practices that have worked in other states, this study would help determine our next steps in implementing the Litter Action Plan and reducing the harmful impact of littering. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important step to a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful Pennsylvania. Thank you for your consideration.