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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

5,365 laws of the 1870s

Constitution of 1838

  1. To confer on the Mechanics' and Miners' Savings Bank of Scranton additional privileges.

    Act 639 of 1870 · P.L. 686 · 1870 · Scanned page

  2. To extend the charter of the Erie Canal Company, to authorize the said company to slack-water the Ohio river from Beaver to Pittsburg, to increase the authority to issue bonds, and to authorize the conversion of said canal into a railway, or the sale of the same, and for other purposes.

    Act 640 of 1870 · P.L. 687 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  3. To incorporate the Coatesville Market House Company.

    Act 641 of 1870 · P.L. 689 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  4. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act to regulate medical practice in the counties of York, Indiana, Perry, Juniata, Northampton, Lehigh and Elk." approved the fifteenth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.

    Act 642 of 1870 · P.L. 690 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  5. Fixing the time of the commencement of the official term of the sheriff of Dauphin county.

    Act 643 of 1870 · P.L. 691 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  6. To incorporate the Nazareth Water Company.

    Act 644 of 1870 · P.L. 692 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  7. Supplementary to an act, approved the twenty-second day of January, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, extending the provisions of an act relating to costs in Luzerne county, approved the second day of April. Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, to the county of Schuylkill, Avith a proviso.

    Act 645 of 1870 · P.L. 693 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  8. In relation to the fees of coroner of Lycoming county.

    Act 647 of 1870 · P.L. 695 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  9. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act to raise, by taxation, bounties for volunteers in Butler county.

    Act 648 of 1870 · P.L. 695 · 1870 · Scanned page

  10. To incorporate the Kingston and Wyoming Co-operative Association, in the county of Luzerne, for mercantile purposes.

    Act 649 of 1870 · P.L. 696 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  11. Authorizing the governor to appoint one additional notary public in the Fifteenth ward of the city of Philadelphia, one for the city of Scranton and one for the borough of Hazelton, county of Luzerne, and one for the Twenty-fourth ward, one for the Twenty-seventh ward, Philadelphia, one for Sharon, Mercer county, one for the 1 county of Warren, and one for the Twentieth ward of the city of Philadelphia.

    Act 650 of 1870 · P.L. 698 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  12. To incorporate the Montgomery County Agricultural Society.

    Act 651 of 1870 · P.L. 699 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  13. To enable the overseers of the poor in the township of Pike, in the county of Potter, to contract for the support of their poor.

    Act 652 of 1870 · P.L. 701 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  14. Supplement To an act relative to the records in the office of county surveyor in the county of Fayette.

    Act 653 of 1870 · P.L. 702 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  15. To incorporate the Davisville and Warminster Turnpike Road Company.

    Act 654 of 1870 · P.L. 703 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  16. To authorize the governor to appoint an auctioneer for the borough of White Haven and Foster and Denison townships, in Luzerne county.

    Act 655 of 1870 · P.L. 704 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  17. Supplement To an act, entitled "An Act relative to roads in Darlington township, in the county of Beaver.'' approved March third, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and

    Act 656 of 1870 · P.L. 705 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  18. To regulate medical practice in certain counties of this commonwealth.

    Act 657 of 1870 · P.L. 705 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  19. To authorize the school directors of the borough of Kennett Square. in Chester county, to borrow money.

    Act 658 of 1870 · P.L. 706 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  20. To authorize the overseers of the poor in Fox township, Sullivan county, to levy a tax upon unseated lands in said township for poor purposes.

    Act 659 of 1870 · P.L. 707 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  21. To authorize the Port Carbon school district, in Schuylkill county, to borrow rnoney.

    Act 660 of 1870 · P.L. 708 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  22. To repeal an act relative to the purchase of a law library in Fayette and Northumberland counties, approved thirteenth of February, one thousand eight hundred and sixty

    Act 661 of 1870 · P.L. 708 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  23. Supplement to an act for the laying out of a road from Corsica, in the county of Jefferson, by the way of Greenville, to the borough of Curllsville, in the county of Clarion, approved April fourth, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.

    Act 662 of 1870 · P.L. 709 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  24. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act giving the new wards in the city of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny, the right to compensation from the old wards, out of which they were created, for school property in such old wards or districts.

    Act 663 of 1870 · P.L. 710 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  25. Supplement To an act incorporating the Blockley and Merion Plank Road Company.

    Act 664 of 1870 · P.L. 711 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  26. Supplementary to an act, entitled "An Act authorizing and providing powers and means for the conversion of the common grounds of the city of Allegheny into public parks.

    Act 665 of 1870 · P.L. 711 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  27. Increasing the pay of witnesses, referees and township auditors of Jefferson county.

    Act 666 of 1870 · P.L. 714 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  28. To repeal the act relative to turnpike and plank road companies in the city of Philadelphia, approved twenty -fourth of March, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.

    Act 668 of 1870 · P.L. 716 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  29. To reduce the charter of the city of Allegheny and the several acts amendatory thereof into one act, and to revise the same. CHAPTER FIRST — INCORPORATION.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 717 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  30. Relating to the election of city and ward officers in the city of Pittsburg.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 731 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  31. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act establishing a mode of selecting and drawing jurors in and for the city of Philadelphia,7' approved April twentieth, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, relative to exemption from service as jurors.

    Act 671 of 1870 · P.L. 732 · 1870 · Scanned page

  32. To change the venue in a certain case from Montour county to Columbia county.

    Act 672 of 1870 · P.L. 733 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  33. To legalize the payment of bounties in the township of Stroud, in the county of Monroe.

    Act 673 of 1870 · P.L. 733 · March 31, 1870 · Scanned page

  34. Supplement To the act incorporating the city of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin.

    Act 674 of 1870 · P.L. 734 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  35. To incorporate the Franklin Bank of the city of Philadelphia.

    Act 676 of 1870 · P.L. 736 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  36. Supplement To the act approved May first, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, entitled "An Act to revise, amend and consolidate the several acts relating to corporations, brokers and bankers.

    Act 677 of 1870 · P.L. 738 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  37. To enable the school directors of the Fourth ward, in the city of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny, to borrow money.

    Act 678 of 1870 · P.L. 739 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  38. Supplement to an act, entitled " An Act to incorporate the Pickering Valley Railroad Company," approved April third, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.

    Act 679 of 1870 · P.L. 740 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  39. Relative to the treasurer of the directors of the poor of Lancaster county.

    Act 680 of 1870 · P.L. 741 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  40. Requiring the treasurer of the Lancaster county prison to file his account.

    Act 681 of 1870 · P.L. 741 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  41. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act consolidating the wards of the city of Pittsburg for educational purposes," approved April twelfth, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.

    Act 682 of 1870 · P.L. 742 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  42. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act to prevent horses, mules, sheep and hogs from runningat large in Upper and Lower Merion townships, Montgomery-county, and in the townships of Upper and Lower Nazareth, in the county of Northampton," approved the fourth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.

    Act 683 of 1870 · P.L. 743 · 1870 · Scanned page

  43. To authorize the Lafayette Building, Saving and Loan Association to increase their capital stock, and authorizing holding an office in Camden, New Jersey.

    Act 684 of 1870 · P.L. 743 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  44. To authorize the commissioners of Montgomery county to borrow money for the erection of a new poor house.

    Act 685 of 1870 · P.L. 744 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  45. Repealing certain acts relative to the sale of intoxicating drinks in the county of Lawrence.

    Act 686 of 1870 · P.L. 746 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  46. Preventing the hunting of rabbits Avith ferrets in the counties of Luzerne and Lancaster.

    Act 687 of 1870 · P.L. 746 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  47. Extending the provisions of an act, entitled " An Act relating to roads in Uwchland township, Chester county, and East Bethlehem and East Pike Run townships, Washington county," approved March fourteenth, one thousand eight hundred and sixy-five, to Hanover township, Beaver county.

    Act 688 of 1870 · P.L. 747 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  48. To confirm the action of the burgess and town council of the borough of Mifflinburg, in the county of Union, in the purchase and repair of the Mifiiinburg academy.

    Act 689 of 1870 · P.L. 748 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  49. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act to incorporate the Weccacoe Legion of Philadelphia," approved the eleventh day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.

    Act 690 of 1870 · P.L. 749 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  50. To confirm the revision of grades on a portion of Albion street.

    Act 691 of 1870 · P.L. 750 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  51. Relative to streets in city of Allegheny.

    Act 692 of 1870 · P.L. 751 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  52. To enable the school directors of the borough of Braddocks, in the county of Allegheny, to borrow money, issue bonds and levy a tax.

    Act 693 of 1870 · P.L. 757 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  53. To repeal a part of an act, entitled "An Act relating to the selling of the repairing of the public roads in certain townships in Schuylkill county," approved the nineteenth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty, relating to the township of New Castle, in the county of Schuylkill.

    Act 694 of 1870 · P.L. 758 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  54. Relative to the issuing of venires of common pleas of Luzerne county.

    Act 695 of 1870 · P.L. 758 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  55. Authorizing the burgess and council of the borough of Conneautville, Crawford county, to license hacks and dray= for the carriage of passengers and freight, and limit their compensation.

    Act 696 of 1870 · P.L. 759 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  56. Authorizing the school directors of Union township, in Crawford county, to borrow money.

    Act 697 of 1870 · P.L. 760 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  57. To attach a certain farm in Lykens township, Dauphin county, to Washington township, Dauphin county, for school and all other purposes.,

    Act 698 of 1870 · P.L. 761 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  58. To authorize the commissioners of Lehigh county to borrow money.

    Act 699 of 1870 · P.L. 761 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  59. Authorizing the Sunbury Cattle Insurance Company to connect with their present charter a joint stock capital, and issue certificates Of stock therefor, and extending its powers to [aaoing policies of insurance against loss by lire, on all kinds of merchandise, et cetera.

    Act 700 of 1870 · P.L. 762 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  60. To enable the borough of Oxford to purchase and complete gas and water works for said borough.

    Act 701 of 1870 · P.L. 764 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  61. To authorize the appointment of an additional notary public in the borough of Hamburg, in the county of Berks.

    Act 702 of 1870 · P.L. 765 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  62. Relating to a justice of the peace in the borough of Middleburg, county of Snyder.

    Act 703 of 1870 · P.L. 766 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  63. Supplement to the act, entitled "An Act authorizing the governor to incorporate a company for making an artificial road from the bank of the river Susquehanna, opposite Harrisburg, to Pittsburg," and the several supplements thereto, making Stoystown a point in lieu of Somerset, and granting a charter to the president, managers and company of the Bedford and Stoystown Turnpike Road Company.

    Act 105 of 1870 · P.L. 767 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  64. To extend to Venango county the provisions of an act to authorize the sale of lands in Sandy Creek township, Venango county, for poor taxes.

    Act 704 of 1870 · P.L. 767 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  65. To authorize the Citizens' Passenger Railway Company of Pittsburg to use steam as a motive power, and to extend their road and purchase and lease other railways.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 768 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  66. In relation to transcribing the survey books of Butler county.

    Act 707 of 1870 · P.L. 770 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  67. Supplemental to an act. entitled "An Act to incorporate the People's Passenger Railway Company of Pittsburg,'' approved April tenth, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.

    Act 708 of 1870 · P.L. 770 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  68. Relating to the Second South-western Building Association.

    Act 710 of 1870 · P.L. 772 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  69. In %ti {To authorize the school directors of Renovo borough, Clinton county, to levy and collect a bounty tax.

    Act 711 of 1870 · P.L. 773 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  70. Supplement to an act. entitled "An Act to prevent cattle, horses, mules, sheep and hogs from running at large in Upper and Lower Merion townships, Montgomery county, and the townships of Upper and Lower Nazareth, in the county of Northampton,*' approved the fourth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixtyeight.

    Act 712 of 1870 · P.L. 773 · 1870 · Scanned page

  71. To incorporate the Milford and Matamoras Railroad Company.

    Act 713 of 1870 · P.L. 774 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  72. To authorize the trustees of the First Presbyterian church, in Sunbury, Northumberland county, to sell and convey certain real estate.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 775 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  73. To authorize Thomas Mellon, of Allegheny county, to construct a wire suspension bridge across the Youghiogheny river, at his coal property in Elizabeth township, in said county.

    Act 115 of 1870 · P.L. 776 · February 18, 1870 · Scanned page

  74. Relating to deserted wives and children in Schuylkill county.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 777 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  75. To incorporate the New Freedom and Maryland Line Railroad Company.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 779 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  76. To extend the boundary of Lower Guysuta island, in the Allegheny river, and authorizing the officers of the land office to issue a warrant and patent for the addition to said island.

    Act 718 of 1870 · P.L. 780 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  77. Authorizing the commissioners of Monroe eounty to borrow money to build a new county jail.

    Act 719 of 1870 · P.L. 781 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  78. To incorporate the Industrial Aid Company.

    Act 720 of 1870 · P.L. 782 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  79. To incorporate the Greenwich Oil Refinery and Storage Company.

    Act 121 of 1870 · P.L. 784 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  80. Supplement to an act to incorporate the Point Breeze Park Association, approved February eighth, one thousand eight hundred and fifty

    Act 722 of 1870 · P.L. 786 · April 1, 1870 · Scanned page

  81. To incorporate the People's Savings Institution of Erie county.

    Act 723 of 1870 · P.L. 787 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  82. Supplement to the act of general assembly incorporating the Chester Wharf and Shipping Company, approved the third day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 789 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  83. To provide for the payment of damages caused by the construction, repair and use of the North Branch canal, in the county of Wyoming, to lands of John Jackson and James Kelly.

    Act 125 of 1870 · P.L. 790 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  84. To authorize the commissioners of Carbon county to dispose of their present court house site and public buildings, for the purpose of building a new court house and public buildings on another site.

    Act 726 of 1870 · P.L. 791 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  85. To incorporate the Beaver Palls Water Company.

    Act 727 of 1870 · P.L. 792 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  86. To provide for the improvement of Penn avenue, and other avenues and streets in the city of Pittsburg.

    Act 728 of 1870 · P.L. 796 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  87. To incorporate the Waynesboro' Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

    Act 730 of 1870 · P.L. 804 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  88. To incorporate the Cliff Farm Trout Propagating Company, in the county of Dauphin.

    Act 131 of 1870 · P.L. 805 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  89. Authorizing the burgess and town council of the borough of Slatington, in Lehigh county, to borrow money and levy a tax for borough purposes.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 806 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  90. Supplement to an act providing for the taking of game, so far as relates to "Washington county.

    Act 733 of 1870 · P.L. 807 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  91. To authorize the school directors of Union independent school district, in the towns of Rome and Sparta, Crawford county, to borrow money and to levy additional tax for building purposes.

    Act 135 of 1870 · P.L. 808 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  92. Repealing the act of eighth of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, allowing premiums for scalps of foxes, wild cats, pole cats, hawks, owls, and so forth, in the county of Bedford.

    Act 734 of 1870 · P.L. 808 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  93. Appointing commissioners to lay out a state road from a point at or near the house of Laurie Pollock, on the Monongahela City and Elizabeth road, in Washington county, to the Finley ville and Monongahela river road, in Alleghenj' county.

    Act 733 of 1870 · P.L. 809 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  94. Supplement to an act, entitled "An Act to enable the governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company to make an artificial road from the Susquehanna river, at or near Wright's ferry, to the borough of York,"' approved the nineteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and four.

    Act 737 of 1870 · P.L. 811 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  95. Supplement to an act for the better securing of the wages of labor in certain counties of this commonwealth, approved the thirtieth day of March, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, extending certain provisions of the same to the county of Northumberland.

    Act 738 of 1870 · P.L. 811 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  96. To authorize the trustees of the Union Church and School Association of Lower Milford township, to sell certain real estate and appropriate the proceeds to the support of a certain school.

    Act 739 of 1870 · P.L. 812 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  97. To exempt certain real estate of Greenwood seminary, in Columbia county, from taxation.

    Act 740 of 1870 · P.L. 813 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  98. To increase the compensation of supervisors of the toAvnship of Hopewell, in the county of Bedford.

    Act 741 of 1870 · P.L. 814 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  99. To authorize the governor to appoint an additional notary public in the county of Lehigh.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 815 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

  100. To authorize the governor to appoint two additional notaries public in the county of Lawrence.

    Act of 1870 · P.L. 815 · April 2, 1870 · Scanned page

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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.