Bartolotta Bill to Protect Family-Inherited Property Advances from Judiciary Committee

HARRISBURG - Legislation sponsored by Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-46) to protect family-inherited property and preserve generational wealth advanced unanimously from the Senate Judiciary Committee today.

Senate Bill 890 would establish the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, offering safeguards for families who inherit property without a will or estate plan.

"This legislation would greatly benefit my largely rural district," Bartolotta said. "It is especially important for families inheriting farmland. Navigating life after the loss of a loved one is difficult, and this bill would help ease both mental and financial stress. It would also deter opportunistic buyers who exploit the confusion that can follow the death of a landowner without a will."

Under current law, inherited property owned jointly by multiple heirs is vulnerable if one owner sells their share or initiates a court-ordered partition. Often, these properties are sold at auction below market value, causing families to lose significant equity and generational wealth.

The legislation applies only to heirs' property, which is real estate inherited through family succession when there is no written agreement among all owners on how to divide the property.

Senate Bill 890 now moves to the full Senate for consideration.