State Rep. Lee James, R-64th, said a bill he introduced that creates uniformity and autonomy in boroughs passed the full House recently.

“House Bill 1350 modernizes the Borough Code in accordance with recent changes to the First Class Township Code,” said James. “It is important to ensure rules are the same across the board in order to eliminate any conflicting, confusing guidance.”

The bill would provide protections for elected officials after seeking legal opinions and supplies borough councils with better options to seek a borough manager, he said.

“Anyone who seeks legal advice on a matter should be exempt from any financial losses the borough incurs,” said James. “They should not bear the financial burden because the person acted in good faith. I am happy to see widespread support for this legislation so we can take the 5pressure off of officials making decisions in the best interest of their municipality.

“In the event a borough manager position becomes vacant, councils are handcuffed when it comes to determining the next individual for that role. This bill opens up the candidate field, which will be beneficial to finding the best person for the job,” he added.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.