PRINTER'S NO. 2168
No. 1698 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY D. R. WRIGHT, SHOWERS, MORRIS, MADIGAN, STEWART,
LLOYD, DeWEESE, GRUITZA, ZWIKL, BLAUM, TIGUE, CAWLEY,
LIVENGOOD, STUBAN, LUCYK, STEIGHNER, F. E. TAYLOR, OLASZ,
MANDERINO, CLARK, COLE, RUDY AND GRIECO, NOVEMBER 16, 1983
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
NOVEMBER 16, 1983
AN ACT
1 Creating a task force on rural affairs; providing powers and
2 duties for the task force; making an appropriation; and
3 establishing a termination date.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Rural Task
8 Force Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Task force." The Interagency Task Force on Rural Affairs
14 created by section 3.
15 Section 3. Task force.
16 (a) Creation.--A joint legislative task force, known as the
17 Interagency Task Force on Rural Affairs is created.
1 (b) Membership.--The task force shall consist of ten members
2 of the General Assembly. Five members shall be appointed by the
3 President pro tempore of the Senate, three members shall be from
4 the majority party and two members shall be from the minority
5 party. Five members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
6 House of Representatives, three members shall be from the
7 majority party and two members shall be from the minority party.
8 (c) Terms.--The term of a member of the task force shall run
9 from the date of appointment until 30 days after the convening
10 of the next regular session of the General Assembly and until a
11 successor is appointed and qualified. Appointments to the task
12 force shall take effect 31 days after the convening of the
13 regular session of the General Assembly. A vacancy in the
14 membership shall be filled by the appointing power making the
15 original appointment for the unexpired term.
16 (d) Organization.--The task force shall organize as soon as
17 possible after 31 days after the convening of a regular session
18 of the General Assembly, at the call of the Speaker of the House
19 of Representatives, by electing a chairman, vice chairman and a
20 secretary. The secretary need not be a member of the committee.
21 Section 4. Powers and duties.
22 The powers and duties of the task force shall be to:
23 (1) Serve as a repository of data about rural issues and
24 problems.
25 (2) Conduct research and encourage research by colleges
26 and universities, other governmental units and private
27 organizations.
28 (3) Identify and make recommendations concerning rural
29 problems including, but not limited to, agricultural,
30 educational, medical, social, transportation, environmental,
19830H1698B2168 - 2 -
1 economic and land use, that affect the economy and people of
2 rural areas.
3 (4) Identify deficiencies in governmental services and
4 identify the resources of various State and local agencies to
5 address the deficiencies.
6 (5) Develop recommendations on ways to improve
7 governmental services in rural Pennsylvania, including
8 drafting legislation when changes in law are recommended.
9 (6) Conduct public hearings to solicit testimony from
10 public and private agencies, citizens and representatives of
11 local government on the status of rural services in this
12 Commonwealth.
13 (7) Provide the General Assembly with an annual report
14 on the findings, recommendations and accomplishments of the
15 task force.
16 (8) Employ and fix the compensation of experts,
17 stenographers, typists and assistants as may be deemed
18 necessary to carry out the work of the task force.
19 (9) Enter into contracts and make grants in the
20 execution of its powers and duties.
21 Section 5. Appropriation.
22 The sum of $500,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
23 is appropriated to the task force to carry out this act.
24 Section 6. Termination.
25 Five years from the effective date of this act, the task
26 force shall cease to exist unless otherwise reestablished by the
27 General Assembly.
28 Section 7. Effective date.
29 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
K14L71VDL/19830H1698B2168 - 3 -