Legislation that would have protected a future market for Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry has been vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf.

Wolf vetoed Senate Bill 275, sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Williamsport, saying municipalities should be allowed to ban natural gas hookups in newly constructed buildings. The legislation passed the Republican-controlled House and Senate largely along party lines, with a handful of Democrats siding with nearly every Republican.

“This legislation takes away from local decision-making from municipalities by pre-empting local control on energy matters and choices,” Wolf wrote in his veto message. “Specifically, the legislation would limit the tools available to local governments to address the global threat of climate change in future years and stands in the way of clean energy incentives and initiatives. As an additional matter, this bill is unnecessary as the Public Utility Commission currently regulates the provision of utility services in the commonwealth. Further, the language of this bill is overly broad and sweeping, likely providing unintended impacts and additional litigation against municipalities and the commonwealth.”

Republican lawmakers had cast the legislation as protecting the energy choices of consumers, but also to protect the state’s natural gas industry. It would have prohibited municipalities from writing new building codes that restricted utility service based on the energy source. Pennsylvania is the nation’s No. 2 natural gas-producing state, behind Texas. The legislation also showed the differing views Republicans and Democrats have over the Public Utility Commission’s role in regulating sectors of the state’s energy industry.

“This will preserve access to reliable electricity, no matter where residents live, and prevent a chaotic patchwork of regulations that ultimately undermine statewide environmental and energy policies,” he said. “It also reaffirms what many local and statewide officials, including the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, already understand to be true: municipalities do not have the authority to restrict energy sources,” Yaw said when the legislation was sent to Wolf’s desk for approval.

Wolf signed 40 bills into law Monday, including:

¯ House Bill 1421, which increases Medicaid rates for skilled nursing facilities to help them meet upcoming Department of Health regulation updates that in part will increase staffing requirements. The legislation also includes accountability language that will require medical assistance-enrolled nursing facilities to spend at least 70% of their total costs on resident care and resident related care.

¯ House Bill 581, which creates the Affordable Housing Unit Tax Exemption Act authorizing local taxing authorities to provide for tax exemptions for improvements to deteriorated areas and improvement of affordable housing.

¯ House Bill 773, which increases the penalties for those who have multiple driving under the influence convictions.

¯ House Bill 940, which provides for a sentencing enhancement for the killing of a domestic animal in the cases of burglary or criminal trespass and makes it a crime to intentionally torture or kill police animals.

¯ House Bill 975, which provides that a caretaker of a care-dependent person commits a felony of the third degree if the caretaker engages in sexual intercourse.

¯ House Bill 1594, which amends the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law related to online marketplaces.

¯House Bill 1615, which amends the Liquor Code to provide that a malt or brewed beverage produced for a brewery by a manufacturer out of state must be distributed through the three-tier, manufacture-distribution-retail system and provides for the renewal of licenses.

¯ House Bill 2032, which amends the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act, providing that the failure to report injuries by firearm or criminal act does not constitute an offense if the submission of sexual assault evidence is an anonymous submission.

¯ House Bill 2039, which amends the Crime Victims Act, in crime victims, further providing for rights.

¯ House Bill 2125, which amends Title 18 (Crimes & Offenses), in public indecency, further providing for the offense of prostitution and related offenses and for obscene and other sexual materials and performances.

¯ House Bill 2419, which amends the Outpatient Psychiatric Oversight Act by adding a definition of “telebehavioral health technology” and also provisions regarding the use of the technology.

¯ House Bill 2464, which amends the Crime Victims Act to provide legal standing and notice to victims.

¯ House Bill 2604, which amends the employee photo identification provisions of the Health Care Facilities Act.

¯ House Bill 2679, which amends the Pharmacy Act to preserve three regulatory suspensions authorized under the COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration, including the ability of pharmacists to provide influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to children ages five and older.

¯ Senate Bill 251, which amends Title 3 (Agriculture), repealing provisions relating to fertilizer, in soil and seeds, further providing for disposition of fund, establishing the Agronomic Regulatory Account; imposing duties on the Dept. of Agriculture.

¯ Senate Bill 764, which amends the Department of State provisions related to publication of proposed constitutional amendments under the Administrative Code.

¯ Senate Bill 1093 amends the Outdoor Advertising Control Act relating to energy efficiency lighting.

¯ Senate Bill 1094 amends various provisions of the Vehicle Code, including the provision known as Christine’s Law, requiring drivers to clear snow and ice from their vehicles after winter storms.

¯ Senate Bill 1183 further provides for asset forfeiture and providing for disposal of forfeited property; in snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, further providing for operation.