Pa. Cons. Stat. » 35 Pa. Cons. Stat. (HEALTH AND SAFETY) / Chapter 75
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

35 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7501 (2026)

 General authority of political subdivisions.

✓ current as of May 2026
Coverage note: this corpus holds the consolidated Pa.C.S. titles only. Unconsolidated P.S. statutes (UTPCPL 73 P.S. § 201-1, Liquor Code, wage payment laws) are not included; a miss here does not mean the statute does not exist. Check palegis.us.
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section PA-LEGpalegis.us JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

 

 

CHAPTER 75

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES

 

Subchapter

A.  General Provisions

B.  Payment of Expenses

 

Enactment.  Chapter 75 was added November 26, 1978, P.L.1332, No.323, effective immediately.

 

 

SUBCHAPTER A

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Sec.

7501.  General authority of political subdivisions.

7502.  Local coordinator of emergency management.

7503.  Powers and duties of political subdivisions.

7504.  Coordination, assistance and mutual aid.

§ 7501.  General authority of political subdivisions.

(a)  Establishing emergency management organization.--Each political subdivision of this Commonwealth is directed and authorized to establish a local emergency management organization in accordance with the plan and program of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Each local organization shall have responsibility for emergency management, response and recovery within the territorial limits of the political subdivision within which it is organized and, in addition, shall conduct such services outside of its jurisdictional limits as may be required under this part.

(b)  Declaration of disaster emergency.--A local disaster emergency may be declared by the governing body of a political subdivision upon finding a disaster has occurred or is imminent. The governing body of a political subdivision may authorize the mayor or other chief executive officer to declare a local disaster emergency subject to ratification by the governing body. The declaration shall not be continued or renewed for a period in excess of seven days except by or with the consent of the governing body of the political subdivision. Any order or proclamation declaring, continuing or terminating a local disaster emergency shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the agency. The effect of a declaration of a local disaster emergency is to activate the response and recovery aspects of any and all applicable local emergency management plans and to authorize the furnishing of aid and assistance thereunder.

(c)  Contracts and obligations.--In carrying out the provisions of this part, each political subdivision shall have the power to enter into contracts and incur obligations necessary to disaster emergency management, response and recovery.

(d)  Temporary suspension of formal requirements.--Each political subdivision included in a declaration of disaster emergency declared by either the Governor or the governing body of the political subdivision affected by the disaster emergency is authorized to exercise the powers vested under this section in the light of the exigencies of the emergency situation without regard to time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law (excepting mandatory constitutional requirements) pertaining to the performance of public work, entering into contracts, the incurring of obligations, the employment of temporary workers, the rental of equipment, the purchase of supplies and materials, the levying of taxes and the appropriation and expenditure of public funds. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing body of a political subdivision shall not be required to have a quorum physically present at any one location in order to conduct business if a quorum is otherwise established by the participating members through an authorized telecommunication device.

(e)  Employment of personnel.--In order to meet prescribed requirements for eligibility to receive Federal contributions authorized under the provisions of the Federal Civil Defense Act of 1950 (64 Stat. 1245, 50 U.S.C. App. § 2251 et seq.) or any amendment or reenactment thereof, political subdivisions are authorized to avail themselves of services offered by the State Civil Service Commission under the provisions of the act of August 5, 1941 (P.L.752, No.286), known as the "Civil Service Act," in connection with the employment of personnel in local organizations established pursuant to the provisions of this part.

(July 13, 1988, P.L.501, No.87, eff. imd.; Apr. 20, 2020, P.L.82, No.15, eff. imd.)

 

2020 Amendment.  Act 15 amended subsec. (d).

References in Text.  The act of August 5, 1941 (P.L.752, No.286), known as the Civil Service Act, referred to in subsec. (e), was repealed by the act of June 28, 2018 (P.L.460, No.71). The subject matter is now contained in Part III of Title 71 (State Government).

Cross References.  Section 7501 is referred to in sections 5741, 7707 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2017–2021 · leading case: Pa. Rest. & Lodging Ass'n v. City of Pittsburgh, 211 A.3d 810 (Pa. 2019).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Pa. Rest. & Lodging Ass'n v. City of Pittsburgh, 211 A.3d 810 (Pa. 2019). · cites it 7× “As statutory authority for this enactment, the City cites: HRC §§ 2961 and 2962(c)(4) ; the Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa.C.S. §§ 7501 - 7931 & 79a01 - 79a31 (hereinafter, "Emergency Code") 7 ; and the SCCC, 53 P.”
Bldg. Owners & Managers Ass'n of Pittsburgh v. City of Pittsburgh ~ Appeal of SEIU Local 32 BJ (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2017). · cites it 3× “8 See 35 Pa. C.S. §§7501(a), 7503. 9 Because the provisions of Section 2962(f) of the Home Rule Charter Law are applicable in this case, we reject the City’s and SEIU’s assertion that the Supreme Court’s opinion in BOMA is not controlling and SEIU’s reliance on Section 2601 of…”
Pa. Rstrnt & Lodging v. Pgh. Apl of: SEIU (Pa. 2019). · cites it 2× “” 35 Pa.C.S. § 7501(a). Section 7503 directs political subdivisions to “adopt an Intergovernmental Cooperation agreement with other political subdivisions” in furtherance of maintaining a “disaster emergency management plan,” and explains in great detail the various functions…”
Pa. Rstrnt & Lodging v. City of Pittsburgh, Aplt. (Pa. 2019). · cites it 2× “” 35 Pa.C.S. § 7501(a). Section 7503 directs political subdivisions to “adopt an Intergovernmental Cooperation agreement with other political subdivisions” in furtherance of maintaining a “disaster emergency management plan,” and explains in great detail the various functions…”
Pa. Rstrnt & Lodging v. City of Pittsburgh, Aplt. (Pa. 2019). · cites it 2× “” 35 Pa.C.S. § 7501(a). Section 7503 directs political subdivisions to “adopt an Intergovernmental Cooperation agreement with other political subdivisions” in furtherance of maintaining a “disaster emergency management plan,” and explains in great detail the various functions…”
Apt. Assoc. of Met. Pittsburgh, Inc. v. The City of Pittsburgh (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2020). “” 35 Pa. C.S. § 7501(a). 9 Section 7503 of the Emergency Code requires each political subdivision to adopt an “[i]ntergovernmental [c]ooperation agreement” with other political subdivisions.”
Apt Assoc of Metro Pgh v. City of Pgh, Aplt. (Pa. 2021). “38 See 35 Pa.C.S. § 7501(a). 39 See id. §§ 7503(1)-(3) & (7).”
— 35 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7501(a) — 7 cases
Pa. Rest. & Lodging Ass'n v. City of Pittsburgh, 211 A.3d 810 (Pa. 2019). “As statutory authority for this enactment, the City cites: HRC §§ 2961 and 2962(c)(4) ; the Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa.C.S. §§ 7501 - 7931 & 79a01 - 79a31 (hereinafter, "Emergency Code") 7 ; and the SCCC, 53 P.”
Bldg. Owners & Managers Ass'n of Pittsburgh v. City of Pittsburgh ~ Appeal of SEIU Local 32 BJ (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2017). “8 See 35 Pa. C.S. §§7501(a), 7503. 9 Because the provisions of Section 2962(f) of the Home Rule Charter Law are applicable in this case, we reject the City’s and SEIU’s assertion that the Supreme Court’s opinion in BOMA is not controlling and SEIU’s reliance on Section 2601 of…”
Pa. Rstrnt & Lodging v. Pgh. Apl of: SEIU (Pa. 2019). “” 35 Pa.C.S. § 7501(a). Section 7503 directs political subdivisions to “adopt an Intergovernmental Cooperation agreement with other political subdivisions” in furtherance of maintaining a “disaster emergency management plan,” and explains in great detail the various functions…”
Pa. Rstrnt & Lodging v. City of Pittsburgh, Aplt. (Pa. 2019). “” 35 Pa.C.S. § 7501(a). Section 7503 directs political subdivisions to “adopt an Intergovernmental Cooperation agreement with other political subdivisions” in furtherance of maintaining a “disaster emergency management plan,” and explains in great detail the various functions…”
Pa. Rstrnt & Lodging v. City of Pittsburgh, Aplt. (Pa. 2019). “” 35 Pa.C.S. § 7501(a). Section 7503 directs political subdivisions to “adopt an Intergovernmental Cooperation agreement with other political subdivisions” in furtherance of maintaining a “disaster emergency management plan,” and explains in great detail the various functions…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.