Lawn Care Fertilizer Legislation

PLNA is working with the PA Department of Agriculture and the General Assembly to assure that any fertilizer legislation makes sense from a business and environmental perspective.

Real Estate Taxation of High Tunnels and Hoop Houses

Thanks to PLNA's legislative action, Act 114 and Act 130 are now law. These two new laws specify that high tunnels are not subject to real estate taxes. PLNA brought this problem to the attention of the PA General Assembly and worked with a coalition of agriculture groups to get them passed.

• Check your real estate tax bill to make sure you are not being taxed on your high tunnels.
• If your high tunnels are on your tax bill, PLNA members can call Gregg Robertson at 717-533-2056 and we'll work with you to explain the new laws to your county.

High Tunnels and the Uniform Construction Code and Stormwater Management

PLNA was successful in having laws passed which exempted high tunnels from the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) and the Stormwater Management Act.

Government Competition with Private Nurseries

PLNA opposes state-owned nurseries competing with private sector nurseries. In 2012, PLNA was successful in having the DCNR Penn Nursery halt seedling sales to the general public.

State-Level Immigration Laws

PLNA opposes state-level immigration laws and addresses them whenever they are introduced.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform

PLNA supports comprehensive immigration reform by Congress that follows these principles:

• Strengthens border security
• Provides a pathway to legal status for those undocumented workers now in the country who have committed no crime
• Includes workable guest workers programs to meet the unmet labor needs of the nursery, floriculture, and landscape industries

Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Law

Thanks to our legislative action, PLNA has a seat on the new Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee at the PA Department of Agriculture, which has the power to ban the sale of certain plant species in Pennsylvania.

Monitoring Plant Pests and Diseases

PLNA advocates for appropriate state regulatory reactions to plant pests and diseases.

• PLNA, through its contacts and relationships with the PA Departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and the Fish and Boat Commission, the Game Commission, and Penn State, monitors the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases in Pennsylvania.
• PLNA advocates for policies that do not adversely impact the industry, yet provide for appropriate state regulatory reactions to these pests and diseases.
• Updates to the PLNA membership and industry are provided through PLNA.com and PLNA e-News.

Green Infrastructure Funding

PLNA supports state programs that promote and fund green infrastructure projects, such as riparian buffers, tree planting, and other similar projects. PLNA opposes efforts to use funds dedicated to green infrastructure projects from being used for other state budgetary purposes.

Snow and Ice Contractor Indemnification

PLNA supports legislation that protects snow and ice removal contractors from being parties to lawsuits for incidents that were not their fault.

Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases

PLNA supports legislation that requires health insurers to provide long-term coverage for those with Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. The effects of tick-borne disease can last for many years. Green industry employees are one of the highest risk occupations for tick-borne diseases, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.

Legislation that Requires Duplicate Contractor Registration

PLNA opposes legislation that would create duplicate contractor registration requirements. Landscape contractors are already required to register under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA) in Pennsylvania.