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The 1776 Philadelphia ConstitutionThe laws of the land, set down plainly — and put to the people, one provision at a time.

The Pennsylvania Register

Every law Pennsylvania has passed

55,382 acts of the General Assembly, from William Penn’s first assembly in 1682 to 2026. Until 1874 much of the Assembly’s work was “special” legislation for a single person, company or town: a divorce, a road, a tavern license. That year’s constitution barred local and special laws on most subjects, and the yearly count fell; lately it is about 150.

Not yet complete · The state has not yet digitized its session laws act by act for most years between 1851 and 1949. We filled what we could from scans of the printed volumes: every year from 1851 to 1875 and most sessions from 1877 to 1907. A computer read those titles, so they can contain misspellings, and a few acts in each year were missed. Most years from 1909 to 1949 are still thin (marked below). Every other year is complete, from 1682 through 1850 and from 1950 to today.

Clear

615 laws of the 1790s

Constitution of 1790

  1. Incorporate the Conewago Canal Company

    Ch. 1680 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 400 · 1793 · Original text

  2. Authorize Simon Snyder and the heirs of Anthony Selin, deceased, to erect a dam on Penn's Creek in the county of Northumberland under the limitations and provisions therein prescribed

    Ch. 1681 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 404 · 1793 · Original text

  3. Authorize certain persons to sell and convey the lot of ground therein mentioned

    Ch. 1682 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 406 · 1793 · Original text

  4. Provide for the enumeration of the taxable inhabitants of this commonwealth

    Ch. 1683 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 408 · 1793 · Original text

  5. Enable the governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company for opening a canal and lock navigation on the waters of Brandywine Creek

    Ch. 1684 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 412 · 1793 · Original text

  6. Authorize Andrew Pierce of Allegheny country to keep in repair a mill-dam across a part of Monongahela river

    Ch. 1685 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 426 · 1793 · Original text

  7. Erecting two separate election districts in the county of Bedford

    Ch. 1686 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 428 · 1793 · Original text

  8. Vest in Abraham Rankin and Ann Nebinger, the wife of George Nebinger, two of the children of James Rankin, such parts of his forfeited estates as have not been sold for the benefit of the commonwealth

    Ch. 1687 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 428 · 1793 · Original text

  9. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of Pennsylvania."

    Ch. 1688 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 429 · 1793 · Original text

  10. Continue the act entitled "An act to continue the act for transferring certain powers formerly exercised by the supreme executive council and also by the president or vice-president thereof to the governor of this commonwealth."

    Ch. 1689 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 430 · 1793 · Original text

  11. Provide for the accommodation of the congress of the United States

    Ch. 1690 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 431 · 1793 · Original text

  12. Relief of Fleming Wilson

    Ch. 1691 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 432 · 1793 · Original text

  13. Further supplement to the act entitled "An act to regulate the fisheries in the river Schuylkill."

    Ch. 1692 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 433 · 1793 · Original text

  14. Extending the benefits experienced from the institution of the Pennsylvania Hospital

    Ch. 1693 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 435 · 1793 · Original text

  15. Appropriate certain sums of money for the laying out, opening and improving sundry roads within this commonwealth and for other purposes therein mentioned

    Ch. 1694 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 440 · 1793 · Original text

  16. Authorize the governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company for building a bridge over the river Susquehanna at or near the Blue Rock about four miles below Wright's Ferry in the county of Lancaster

    Ch. 1695 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 444 · 1793 · Original text

  17. Regulation of the militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    Ch. 1696 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 454 · 1793 · Original text

  18. Erecting a loan office for the sum of $500,000

    Ch. 1697 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 481 · 1793 · Original text

  19. Establish a board of wardens for the port of Philadelphia and for other purposes therein mentioned

    Ch. 1698 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 490 · 1793 · Original text

  20. Provide for the defence of the river Delaware

    Ch. 1699 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 508 · 1793 · Original text

  21. Providing for certain returns of surveys being received in the land-office

    Ch. 1700 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 509 · 1793 · Original text

  22. Extend the time for patenting lands

    Ch. 1701 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 509 · 1793 · Original text

  23. Suspend for a limited time so much of the act entitled "An act to regulate the assize of bread and for other purposes therein mentioned" as relates to the assize of bread

    Ch. 1702 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 510 · 1793 · Original text

  24. Annex the township of Letterkenny in the county of Franklin to the fifth election district and change the place of holding the annual elections of said district and to unite part of the Southampton township to the first district

    Ch. 1703 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 511 · 1793 · Original text

  25. Supplement to an act entitled "An act to prevent infectious diseases being brought into this province."

    Ch. 1704 · 14 Pa. Stat. at Large 512 · 1793 · Original text

  26. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to enable the governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company for the purpose of promoting the cultivation of vines and for other purposes therein mentioned."

    Ch. 1705 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 5 · 1794 · Original text

  27. Continue for a longer period "An act for instituting a board of property and for other purposes therein mentioned."

    Ch. 1706 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 6 · 1794 · Original text

  28. Allow an additional inspector at the general elections for the district of Southwark

    Ch. 1707 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 7 · 1794 · Original text

  29. Repealing so much of "An act for raising and collecting of money on the specified articles therein mentioned for the support of government and for other purposes therein mentioned" as imposes a tax upon writs issuing out of any courts of common pleas

    Ch. 1708 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 7 · 1794 · Original text

  30. Erecting two election districts in the county of Northampton

    Ch. 1709 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 8 · 1794 · Original text

  31. Declare Little Juniata and Standing Stone Creeks in the county of Huntingdon public highways

    Ch. 1710 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 9 · 1794 · Original text

  32. In favor of Peter Dehaven

    Ch. 1711 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 10 · 1794 · Original text

  33. Erect the townships of Tinicum, Nockamixon and Durham in the county of Bucks into a separate election district

    Ch. 1712 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 11 · 1794 · Original text

  34. Erect the townships of Quemahoning and Stony Creek in the county of Bedford into a separate election district

    Ch. 1713 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 11 · 1794 · Original text

  35. Declaring Cocolamus Creek a public highway

    Ch. 1714 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 12 · 1794 · Original text

  36. More effectually securing the trade, peace and safety of the port of Philadelphia and defending the western frontiers of the commonwealth

    Ch. 1715 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 13 · 1794 · Original text

  37. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to provide for the support of the government of this commonwealth," passed April 13, 1791

    Ch. 1716 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 15 · 1794 · Original text

  38. Relief of Blackall William Ball

    Ch. 1717 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 16 · 1794 · Original text

  39. Relief of Thomas Butler and Henry Brown

    Ch. 1718 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 17 · 1794 · Original text

  40. Revive part of the act entitled "A supplement to an act entitled 'An act to prevent infectious diseases being brought into this province.'"

    Ch. 1719 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 18 · 1794 · Original text

  41. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to enable the governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company for opening a canal and lock navigation on the waters of Brandywine creek."

    Ch. 1720 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 19 · 1794 · Original text

  42. Erect the townships of Colebrookdale, Earl District and Hereford in the county of Berks into a separate election district

    Ch. 1721 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 20 · 1794 · Original text

  43. Authorize Edward Shymer to erect a dam on the north side of the river Lehigh in the county of Northampton

    Ch. 1722 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 21 · 1794 · Original text

  44. Extend the time for patenting lands

    Ch. 1723 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 22 · 1794 · Original text

  45. Supplement to the acts of assembly made for the relief of insolvent debtors

    Ch. 1724 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 23 · 1794 · Original text

  46. Supplement to "An act to appoint commissioners to regulate the streets, lanes and alleys in the district of Southwark and ... to lay out the roads therein mentioned through the said district and parts of the townships of Moyamensing and Passyunk."

    Ch. 1725 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 24 · 1794 · Original text

  47. Authorize the admission of certain persons as witnesses in cases respecting the settlement of paupers

    Ch. 1726 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 25 · 1794 · Original text

  48. Exonerate the late proprietaries from the payment of certain taxes and to authorize the state treasurer to pay them such moneys as have been retained by him on account thereof

    Ch. 1727 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 26 · 1794 · Original text

  49. Relief of Adam Melcher

    Ch. 1728 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 28 · 1794 · Original text

  50. Revive and continue a part of the act entitled "A supplement to the several acts for raising county rates and levies."

    Ch. 1729 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 29 · 1794 · Original text

  51. Enable James Wallace and Rudolph Pickel to erect mill-dams on Swatara creek in the county of Dauphin

    Ch. 1730 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 30 · 1794 · Original text

  52. Relief of Christian Mary

    Ch. 1731 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 31 · 1794 · Original text

  53. Altering an election district and for erecting two additional election districts in the county of Bucks

    Ch. 1732 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 32 · 1794 · Original text

  54. Declare certain parts of Conecocheague creek a public highway

    Ch. 1733 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 33 · 1794 · Original text

  55. Erect an additional election district in Washington county

    Ch. 1734 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 34 · 1794 · Original text

  56. Provide for the settlement of the accounts of divers officers of the militia of the counties of Westmoreland and Washington and for other purposes therein mentioned

    Ch. 1735 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 35 · 1794 · Original text

  57. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to enjoin certain duties on the secretary of the commonwealth and for other purposes."

    Ch. 1736 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 37 · 1794 · Original text

  58. Repeal so much of "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the bank of Pennsylvania" as requires the attendance of thirteen directors to perform the discount business of the said bank and to authorize a lesser number to discharge that duty

    Ch. 1737 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 37 · 1794 · Original text

  59. Relief of Patrick Roberts and Charles West, junior

    Ch. 1738 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 38 · 1794 · Original text

  60. Enable Archibald McGrew to sell and convey a certain tract of land in York county

    Ch. 1739 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 40 · 1794 · Original text

  61. Incorporate the subscribers to the Insurance Company of North America

    Ch. 1740 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 41 · 1794 · Original text

  62. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to enable executors and administrators by leave of court to convey lands and tenements contracted for with their decedents and for other purposes therein mentioned."

    Ch. 1741 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 48 · 1794 · Original text

  63. Incorporate the district of Southwark

    Ch. 1742 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 49 · 1794 · Original text

  64. Prevent the damages which may happen by firing of woods

    Ch. 1743 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 63 · 1794 · Original text

  65. Provide for the payment of certain incidental expenses of the late convention and general assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    Ch. 1744 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 65 · 1794 · Original text

  66. Empower the commissioners of the county of Northumberland to lay, assess and levy a sum of money for the purpose of erecting a court-house for the use of the said county

    Ch. 1745 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 66 · 1794 · Original text

  67. Revive and continue for a limited time the act entitled "An act to authorize the commissioners of bankruptcy to proceed in the business remaining unfinished under the late bankruptcy laws" and for other purposes therein mentioned

    Ch. 1746 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 67 · 1794 · Original text

  68. Incorporate the Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania

    Ch. 1747 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 69 · 1794 · Original text

  69. Supplement to the act entitled "An act for laying out a town at Presque Isle."

    Ch. 1748 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 76 · 1794 · Original text

  70. Erecting a certain part of Luzerne county into a separate election district

    Ch. 1749 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 77 · 1794 · Original text

  71. Repeal an act entitled "An act for erecting a loan office for the sum of $500,000," enacted April 11, 1793

    Ch. 1750 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 78 · 1794 · Original text

  72. Directing the descent of intestates' real estates and distribution of their personal estates and for other purposes therein mentioned

    Ch. 1751 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 80 · 1794 · Original text

  73. Suspend for the time therein mentioned part of "An act to appropriate certain sums of money for the laying out, opening and improving sundry roads within this commonwealth, and for other purposes therein mentioned" and to confirm part of a road

    Ch. 1752 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 95 · 1794 · Original text

  74. Extend the powers of the commissioners of Huntingdon county to assess and levy a further sum for erecting and completing the public buildings and to grant a loan to the trustees of the same

    Ch. 1753 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 96 · 1794 · Original text

  75. Extend the powers of the justices of the peace in this state

    Ch. 1754 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 98 · 1794 · Original text

  76. Provide for settling the accounts of John Blake, late collector of taxes in the township of Moreland, now partly in the county of Philadelphia and partly in the county of Montgomery

    Ch. 1755 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 104 · 1794 · Original text

  77. Further supplement to "An act for erecting the town of Carlisle in the county of Cumberland into a borough, for regulating the buildings, preventing nuisances and encroachments on the commons, squares, streets, lanes and alleys of the same ..."

    Ch. 1756 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 106 · 1794 · Original text

  78. Relief of Grizel Robinson

    Ch. 1757 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 107 · 1794 · Original text

  79. Prevention of vice and immorality and of unlawful gaming and to restrain disorderly sports and dissipation

    Ch. 1758 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 110 · 1794 · Original text

  80. Establishing a health office, for otherwise securing the city and port of Philadelphia from the introduction of pestilential and contagious diseases and for regulating the importation of German and other passengers

    Ch. 1759 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 119 · 1794 · Original text

  81. Further supplement to the act entitled "An act for the support of the government of this commonwealth."

    Ch. 1760 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 145 · 1794 · Original text

  82. Relief of John Laird

    Ch. 1761 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 146 · 1794 · Original text

  83. Authorize and empower Elijah Phillips, administrator of Catherine Phillips, deceased, to sell the plantation or tract of land therein mentioned

    Ch. 1762 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 147 · 1794 · Original text

  84. Provide for the better collection of the revenue arising from tavern licenses

    Ch. 1763 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 149 · 1794 · Original text

  85. Granting a further sum of money for opening and improving the road from Wilkes-Barre to Wyalusing

    Ch. 1764 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 150 · 1794 · Original text

  86. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to establish a board of wardens for the port of Philadelphia and for other purposes therein mentioned."

    Ch. 1765 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 151 · 1794 · Original text

  87. Prevent the receiving any more applications or issuing any more warrants, except in certain cases, for lands within this commonwealth

    Ch. 1766 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 153 · 1794 · Original text

  88. Erect election districts in Delaware county

    Ch. 1767 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 154 · 1794 · Original text

  89. Making provision for the support of certain orphan children

    Ch. 1768 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 155 · 1794 · Original text

  90. Enable Richard Thomas, surviving executor of the last will and testament of William Lindsey, deceased, to convey the real estate of the decedent

    Ch. 1769 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 157 · 1794 · Original text

  91. Fix the number of senators from the state into districts and determine the portion to be allotted to each, as well as to fix the number of representatives for the city of Philadelphia and the several counties of the commonwealth

    Ch. 1770 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 158 · 1794 · Original text

  92. Erect the town of Pittsburg in the county of Allegheny into a borough and for other purposes therein mentioned

    Ch. 1771 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 161 · 1794 · Original text

  93. Vesting the powers formerly exercised by the supreme executive council in the proper departments under the present constitution of the commonwealth

    Ch. 1772 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 165 · 1794 · Original text

  94. Supplement to the act entitled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of Pennsylvania."

    Ch. 1773 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 166 · 1794 · Original text

  95. Further supplement to the act entitled "An act to improve the breed of horses and regulate rangers."

    Ch. 1774 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 166 · 1794 · Original text

  96. Supplementary to the act entitled "A supplement to the act entitled 'An act to provide for paying and redeeming certain public debts and for defraying the expenses of government and for other purposes therein mentioned.' "

    Ch. 1775 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 167 · 1794 · Original text

  97. Provide for the election of representatives of the people of this state in the congress of the United States

    Ch. 1776 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 171 · 1794 · Original text

  98. Better preventing of crimes and for abolishing the punishment of death in certain cases

    Ch. 1777 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 174 · 1794 · Original text

  99. Enable the governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company for making an artificial road from the borough of Lancaster to the river Susquehanna at or near Wright's ferry

    Ch. 1778 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 181 · 1794 · Original text

  100. Provide for suppressing an insurrection in the western counties of this commonwealth

    Ch. 1779 · 15 Pa. Stat. at Large 195 · 1794 · Original text

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Constitution of 19681968–today

Constitution of 18741874–1967

Constitution of 18381838–1873

Constitution of 17901790–1837

Constitution of 17761776–1789

Province of Pennsylvania1682–1775

1682–1801: the Statutes at Large of Pennsylvania. 1802–1974: the Pamphlet Laws (Laws of the General Assembly). Both from the scans published by the Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau, which link to each original page. 1975 onward: the General Assembly’s own record of legislation enacted, which adds approval dates and bill numbers. Years the Bureau hasn’t indexed act by act come from the annual Laws of the General Assembly as scanned by the Internet Archive and Google Books: we split each volume into acts by their approval lines, and each one links to its scanned page. Before 1975 each year’s appropriation acts were scanned as one bundle, so they aren’t listed one by one. Proposed constitutional amendments, vetoed bills and reorganization plans are left out. Subject lines are the Bureau’s and the General Assembly’s, not the laws’ full titles.