In the near future, I will be introducing the Sunset Act to restore one of the most effective government-accountability tools Pennsylvania ever enacted.

In 1981, the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed Act 142 (P.L. 508), the original Sunset Act. It created a systematic review process for state boards, commissions, and similar entities, involving thorough performance audits, public hearings, and legislative scrutiny. If the General Assembly did not affirmatively reauthorize an entity, it automatically terminated.

The law proved so successful that it ultimately sunsetted itself. After eliminating or streamlining dozens of unnecessary or duplicative entities, the General Assembly allowed the Act to expire—demonstrating that periodic, structured review is the best check on bureaucratic permanence.

Since the Act expired in 1991, however, Pennsylvania has lacked a systematic mechanism to evaluate the continuing need for the hundreds of executive-branch entities now in existence. Many have outlived their original purpose or duplicate functions at significant taxpayer expense.

My legislation revives and strengthens that proven framework by placing all existing boards, commissions, authorities, and councils on a staggered 12-year review cycle. In the year preceding each group’s sunset date, the appropriate standing committees—working with the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee—will conduct audits, hold hearings, and apply objective criteria such as public need, duplication of services, cost-effectiveness, impact on health/safety/welfare, and less-restrictive alternatives.

Each entity will be required to justify its continued existence.  If not reauthorized, the entity and all its statutory functions will automatically terminate after a six-month wind-down period.

Importantly, this bill does not target any specific state entity.  It simply restores regular, transparent, and automatic accountability across the entire executive branch—eliminating wasteful spending, reducing redundancy, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this responsible, good-government legislation. Together, we can keep Pennsylvania’s government lean, effective, and truly responsive to the needs of our constituents.