PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 748 PRINTER'S NO. 1492
No. 689 Session of 1987
INTRODUCED BY D. R. WRIGHT, MORRIS, BOWLEY, COY, SHOWERS,
HALUSKA, LLOYD, YANDRISEVITS, COHEN, COWELL, BALDWIN,
COLAFELLA, DeLUCA, DAWIDA, GEORGE, JOSEPHS, KUKOVICH, RUDY,
SWEET, F. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRELLO, VEON, WOGAN, JOHNSON,
ANGSTADT, BOWSER, BUNT, CARLSON, DISTLER, HERMAN, JADLOWIEC,
PHILLIPS, REBER, SERAFINI AND J. L. WRIGHT, MARCH 4, 1987
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MAY 6, 1987
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Center for Rural Pennsylvania; and making an <--
2 appropriation allocation.
3 PROVIDING FOR THE REVITALIZATION OF RURAL PENNSYLVANIA; <--
4 ESTABLISHING THE CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA; PROVIDING FOR
5 RURAL EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS AND ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMS;
6 ALLOCATING FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
7 FOR A REGIONAL CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION OF HEALTH
8 SCIENCE PRACTITIONERS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA; MAKING
9 APPROPRIATIONS; AND MAKING A REPEAL.
10 TABLE OF CONTENTS
11 CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
12 SECTION 101. SHORT TITLE.
13 CHAPTER 3. CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA
14 SECTION 301. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
15 SECTION 302. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
16 SECTION 303. DUTIES OF CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
17 SECTION 304. GRANTS.
18 SECTION 305. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.
19 SECTION 306. DATA BASE.
1 CHAPTER 5. RURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
2 SUBCHAPTER A. RURAL EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS
3 SECTION 501. PURPOSES.
4 SECTION 502. ELIGIBILITY; FUNDING.
5 SUBCHAPTER B. RURAL ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM
6 SECTION 531. PURPOSE OF PROGRAM.
7 CHAPTER 7. REGIONAL CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
8 SECTION 701. REGIONAL CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION.
9 CHAPTER 9. APPROPRIATIONS
10 SECTION 901. APPROPRIATION FOR CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
11 SECTION 902. APPROPRIATION TO STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
12 SECTION 903. APPROPRIATION TO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
13 SECTION 904. NONLAPSING.
14 CHAPTER 11. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
15 SECTION 1101. REPEAL.
16 SECTION 1102. EFFECTIVE DATE.
17 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
18 hereby enacts as follows:
19 Section 1. Establishment of center. <--
20 There is hereby established the Center for Rural
21 Pennsylvania, which shall be an agency of the General Assembly.
22 Section 2. Board of directors.
23 (a) Members.--The Center for Rural Pennsylvania shall be
24 governed by a board of directors which shall consist of 11
25 members. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
26 appoint two members from the House of Representatives, one from
27 the majority party and one from the minority party. The
28 President pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint two members
29 from the Senate, one from the majority party and one from the
30 minority party. Two members shall be representatives of
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1 universities in the State System of Higher Education. One member
2 shall be from the Pennsylvania State University. One member
3 shall be from the University of Pittsburgh. One member shall be
4 the director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural
5 Development. The Governor shall appoint two members from the
6 following Statewide organizations: Pennsylvania Rural Electric
7 Association, Pennsylvania Grange Association, Pennsylvania
8 Farmer's Association and Pennsylvania Rural Coalition.
9 (b) Terms.--The term of office of all members of the board
10 shall be two years. Each member shall be eligible to be
11 reappointed to the board.
12 (c) Meetings; quorum.--The board shall meet at least every
13 four months, or as often as it deems necessary. Six members of
14 the board shall constitute a quorum.
15 (d) Expenses.--The members of the board, except for the
16 director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, shall serve
17 without salary or compensation, but shall be entitled to such
18 expenses as are reasonable and necessary to the performance of
19 their duties.
20 Section 3. Duties of the center.
21 (a) Principal duty.--The Center for Rural Pennsylvania shall
22 administer grants to conduct research on matters related to
23 rural conditions. The role of the center shall be to facilitate
24 and coordinate basic and applied research and service components
25 for faculty, staff and students of those institutions identified
26 in section 4(a) dealing in issues regarding the welfare of rural
27 Pennsylvania.
28 (b) Regulations.--The board shall promulgate regulations
29 concerning the grant program administered by the Center for
30 Rural Pennsylvania.
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1 Section 4. Grants.
2 (a) Eligibility.--Grants shall be available only to the
3 qualified faculty members of the various colleges and university
4 members of the State System of Higher Education and the current
5 land grant university.
6 (b) Amounts.--No grant shall exceed the sum of $50,000.
7 (c) Subjects.--The subject areas of the grant program are as
8 follows:
9 (1) Rural people and communities.
10 (2) Economic development.
11 (3) Local government finance and administration.
12 (4) Community services.
13 (5) Natural resources and environment.
14 (6) Educational outreach.
15 (7) Rural values and social change.
16 Section 5. Administrative matters.
17 (a) Director.--The Center for Rural Pennsylvania shall be
18 operated by a director, who shall be selected by the board.
19 (b) Duties of director.--The director shall employ such
20 persons as he or she deems appropriate for the administration of
21 the grant programs authorized by this act. The director shall
22 also make such other expenditures as the board deems necessary,
23 providing that not more than 15% of the allocation in section 7
24 shall be used for administrative expenses.
25 Section 6. Data base.
26 (a) Creation.--The Center for Rural Pennsylvania shall
27 develop and maintain an appropriate base of knowledge and
28 information about rural conditions and needs. This shall be
29 accomplished through a data base.
30 (b) Major areas.--The data base shall include the following
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1 major areas of concern:
2 (1) Agriculture.
3 (2) Economic development.
4 (3) Local government capacity and fiscal stress
5 indicators.
6 (4) Transportation.
7 (5) Sociodemographics.
8 (6) Health care and human services.
9 (7) Environment and natural resources.
10 (8) Education.
11 (9) Condition of the extant local infrastructure of
12 Pennsylvania's rural communities.
13 (c) Arrangement.--The data will be arranged in such a manner
14 so as to facilitate the monitoring of relationships between and
15 among the various sectors identified for inclusion in the
16 information system.
17 Section 7. Allocation.
18 The sum of $700,000 is hereby allocated from the $2,750,000
19 appropriation to the Department of Commerce for Rural Economic
20 Development in section 208 of the act of July 1, 1986 (P.L. ,
21 No.5A), known as the General Appropriation Act of 1986, for the
22 fiscal year July 1, 1986, to June 30, 1987, to the Center for
23 Rural Pennsylvania to carry out the provisions of this act. Two
24 hundred thousand dollars out of the $700,000 shall be used to
25 create a data base for rural Pennsylvania.
26 Section 8. Effective date.
27 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
28 CHAPTER 1 <--
29 GENERAL PROVISIONS
30 SECTION 101. SHORT TITLE.
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1 THIS ACT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE RURAL
2 PENNSYLVANIA REVITALIZATION ACT.
3 CHAPTER 3
4 CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA
5 SECTION 301. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
6 THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED THE CENTER FOR RURAL
7 PENNSYLVANIA, WHICH SHALL BE AN AGENCY OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
8 SECTION 302. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
9 (A) MEMBERS.--THE CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA SHALL BE
10 GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHICH SHALL CONSIST OF 11
11 MEMBERS. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHALL
12 APPOINT TWO MEMBERS FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ONE FROM
13 THE MAJORITY PARTY AND ONE FROM THE MINORITY PARTY. THE
14 PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE SHALL APPOINT TWO MEMBERS
15 FROM THE SENATE, ONE FROM THE MAJORITY PARTY AND ONE FROM THE
16 MINORITY PARTY. TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE REPRESENTATIVES OF
17 UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION. ONE MEMBER
18 SHALL BE FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY. ONE MEMBER
19 SHALL BE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. ONE MEMBER SHALL BE
20 THE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL
21 DEVELOPMENT. THE GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT TWO MEMBERS FROM THE
22 FOLLOWING STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS: PENNSYLVANIA RURAL ELECTRIC
23 ASSOCIATION, PENNSYLVANIA GRANGE ASSOCIATION, PENNSYLVANIA
24 FARMERS' ASSOCIATION AND PENNSYLVANIA RURAL COALITION.
25 (B) TERMS.--THE TERM OF OFFICE OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
26 SHALL BE TWO YEARS. EACH MEMBER SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO BE
27 REAPPOINTED TO THE BOARD.
28 (C) MEETINGS; QUORUM.--THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT LEAST EVERY
29 FOUR MONTHS, OR AS OFTEN AS IT DEEMS NECESSARY. SIX MEMBERS OF
30 THE BOARD SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM.
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1 (D) EXPENSES.--THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EXCEPT FOR THE
2 DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA, SHALL SERVE
3 WITHOUT SALARY OR COMPENSATION, BUT SHALL BE ENTITLED TO SUCH
4 EXPENSES AS ARE REASONABLE AND NECESSARY TO THE PERFORMANCE OF
5 THEIR DUTIES.
6 SECTION 303. DUTIES OF CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
7 (A) PRINCIPAL DUTY.--THE CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA SHALL
8 ADMINISTER GRANTS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ON MATTERS RELATED TO
9 RURAL CONDITIONS. THE ROLE OF THE CENTER SHALL BE TO FACILITATE
10 AND COORDINATE BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH AND SERVICE COMPONENTS
11 FOR FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS IDENTIFIED
12 IN SECTION 304(A) DEALING IN ISSUES REGARDING THE WELFARE OF
13 RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
14 (B) REGULATIONS.--THE BOARD SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS
15 CONCERNING THE GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE CENTER FOR
16 RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
17 SECTION 304. GRANTS.
18 (A) ELIGIBILITY.--GRANTS SHALL BE AVAILABLE ONLY TO THE
19 QUALIFIED FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITY
20 MEMBERS OF THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE CURRENT
21 LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY.
22 (B) AMOUNTS.--NO GRANT SHALL EXCEED THE SUM OF $50,000.
23 (C) SUBJECTS.--THE SUBJECT AREAS OF THE GRANT PROGRAM ARE AS
24 FOLLOWS:
25 (1) RURAL PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.
26 (2) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
27 (3) LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION.
28 (4) COMMUNITY SERVICES.
29 (5) NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT.
30 (6) EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH.
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1 (7) RURAL VALUES AND SOCIAL CHANGE.
2 SECTION 305. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS.
3 (A) DIRECTOR.--THE CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA SHALL BE
4 OPERATED BY A DIRECTOR, WHO SHALL BE SELECTED BY THE BOARD.
5 (B) DUTIES OF DIRECTOR.--THE DIRECTOR SHALL EMPLOY SUCH
6 PERSONS AS HE OR SHE DEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF
7 THE GRANT PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED BY THIS ACT. THE DIRECTOR SHALL
8 ALSO MAKE SUCH OTHER EXPENDITURES AS THE BOARD DEEMS NECESSARY,
9 PROVIDING THAT NOT MORE THAN 15% OF THE APPROPRIATION SHALL BE
10 USED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
11 SECTION 306. DATA BASE.
12 (A) CREATION.--THE CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA SHALL
13 DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AN APPROPRIATE BASE OF KNOWLEDGE AND
14 INFORMATION ABOUT RURAL CONDITIONS AND NEEDS. THIS SHALL BE
15 ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A DATA BASE.
16 (B) MAJOR AREAS.--THE DATA BASE SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
17 MAJOR AREAS OF CONCERN:
18 (1) AGRICULTURE.
19 (2) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
20 (3) LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAPACITY AND FISCAL STRESS
21 INDICATORS.
22 (4) TRANSPORTATION.
23 (5) SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS.
24 (6) HEALTH CARE AND HUMAN SERVICES.
25 (7) ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
26 (8) EDUCATION.
27 (9) CONDITION OF THE EXTANT LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF
28 PENNSYLVANIA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES.
29 (C) ARRANGEMENT.--THE DATA SHALL BE ARRANGED IN SUCH A
30 MANNER SO AS TO FACILITATE THE MONITORING OF RELATIONSHIPS
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1 BETWEEN AND AMONG THE VARIOUS SECTORS IDENTIFIED FOR INCLUSION
2 IN THE INFORMATION SYSTEM.
3 CHAPTER 5
4 RURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
5 SUBCHAPTER A
6 RURAL EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS
7 SECTION 501. PURPOSES.
8 THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, IN COOPERATION WITH ITS
9 MEMBER UNIVERSITIES, SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION
10 PARTNERSHIPS TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND SERVICES TO RURAL SCHOOL
11 DISTRICTS AND OTHER RURAL GROUPS WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE
12 SHARING OF THE RESOURCES OF THE UNIVERSITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF
13 THE RURAL POPULATION. IN ADDITION, THE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
14 PROGRAM SHALL ATTEMPT TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN HIGHER
15 EDUCATION BY STUDENTS FROM RURAL AREAS.
16 SECTION 502. ELIGIBILITY; FUNDING.
17 THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHALL ALLOCATE FUNDS TO
18 EACH PARTICIPATING MEMBER UNIVERSITY BASED UPON THE GEOGRAPHIC
19 SIZE AND POPULATION OF ITS RURAL SERVING AREA. NO ALLOCATION
20 SHALL BE LESS THAN $10,000. ALL FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THIS ACT
21 SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE PARTICIPATING MEMBER UNIVERSITIES.
22 SUBCHAPTER B
23 RURAL ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM
24 SECTION 531. PURPOSE OF PROGRAM.
25 THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, IN COOPERATION WITH
26 CLARION UNIVERSITY, SHALL ESTABLISH A RURAL ADULT LITERACY
27 PROGRAM. THE PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ARE:
28 (1) TO GATHER INFORMATION THAT MORE DIRECTLY IDENTIFIES
29 THE INTENSITY OF ILLITERACY AMONG PENNSYLVANIA'S RURAL
30 ADULTS.
19870H0689B1492 - 9 -
1 (2) TO IDENTIFY RESOURCE PEOPLE, REPRESENTING BOTH THE
2 PRIVATE AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR, WHO CAN ASSIST IN
3 COMBATING ADULT ILLITERACY THROUGH THE USE OF THE LOCAL
4 PUBLIC LIBRARY.
5 (3) TO ORGANIZE A CONFERENCE DEALING WITH THE TOPIC OF
6 ILLITERACY THAT WOULD INVOLVE THE RESOURCE PEOPLE IDENTIFIED
7 IN PARAGRAPH (2).
8 (4) TO DEVELOP VIABLE STRATEGIES THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED
9 IN THE RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARY TO OVERCOME ADULT ILLITERACY.
10 (5) TO DEVELOP A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IN A PENNSYLVANIA
11 RURAL PUBLIC LIBRARY WHICH WILL PUT INTO PRACTICE STRATEGIES
12 OF OVERCOMING ADULT ILLITERACY.
13 (6) TO EVALUATE THIS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR THE
14 POSSIBILITY OF USE IN OTHER PLACES IN PENNSYLVANIA.
15 CHAPTER 7
16 REGIONAL CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
17 SECTION 701. REGIONAL CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION.
18 THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SHALL ALLOCATE THE SUM OF $400,000
19 TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH TO ESTABLISH A REGIONAL CENTER
20 FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION OF HEALTH SCIENCE PRACTITIONERS IN
21 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE PROPOSED REGIONAL CENTER WILL PROVIDE
22 THE 23 COUNTIES OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WITH AN OUTREACH PROGRAM
23 OF CONTINUING EDUCATION, CONSULTATION AND EVALUATION SERVICES AS
24 CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO "WHERE THEY LIVE" IN ORDER TO INCREASE
25 THEIR EXPERTISE IN PROVIDING HEALTH CARE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE
26 REGION AND IN PLANNING AND EVALUATING REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES.
27 CHAPTER 9
28 APPROPRIATIONS
29 SECTION 901. APPROPRIATION FOR CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
30 THE SUM OF $700,000, OR AS MUCH THEREOF AS MAY BE NECESSARY,
19870H0689B1492 - 10 -
1 IS HEREBY APPROPRIATED TO THE CENTER FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA FOR
2 THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 1986, TO JUNE 30, 1987, TO CARRY OUT THE
3 PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 3 OF THIS ACT. TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND
4 DOLLARS OF THE $700,000 APPROPRIATION SHALL BE USED TO CREATE A
5 DATA BASE FOR RURAL PENNSYLVANIA.
6 SECTION 902. APPROPRIATION TO STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
7 (A) THE SUM OF $225,000, OR AS MUCH THEREOF AS MAY BY
8 NECESSARY, IS HEREBY APPROPRIATED TO THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER
9 EDUCATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 1986, TO JUNE 30, 1987,
10 FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF THE RURAL EDUCATION
11 PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS.
12 (B) THE SUM OF $50,000, OR AS MUCH THEREOF AS MAY BE
13 NECESSARY, IS HEREBY APPROPRIATED TO THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER
14 EDUCATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 1986, TO JUNE 30, 1987,
15 FOR ALLOCATION TO THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF RURAL
16 LIBRARIANSHIP OF THE COLLEGE OF LIBRARY SCIENCE, CLARION
17 UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA OF THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER
18 EDUCATION FOR THE PURPOSES SET FORTH IN SECTION 531.
19 SECTION 903. APPROPRIATION TO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
20 THE SUM OF $400,000 IS HEREBY APPROPRIATED TO THE DEPARTMENT
21 OF COMMERCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 1986, TO JUNE 30, 1987,
22 FOR ALLOCATION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH TO ESTABLISH A
23 REGIONAL CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION OF HEALTH SCIENCE
24 PRACTITIONERS IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
25 PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 7.
26 SECTION 904. NONLAPSING.
27 THE APPROPRIATIONS MADE IN SECTIONS 901, 902 AND 903 SHALL BE
28 CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS AND SHALL NOT LAPSE UNTIL JUNE 30,
29 1988.
30 CHAPTER 11
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1 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
2 SECTION 1101. REPEAL.
3 THE APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,750,000 TO THE
4 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FOR RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SECTION
5 208 OF THE ACT OF JULY 1, 1986 (P.L.1776, NO.5A), KNOWN AS THE
6 GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT OF 1986, IS REPEALED INSOFAR AS THAT
7 APPROPRIATION EXCEEDS THE SUM OF $1,375,000. THE SUM OF MONEY
8 REPEALED BY THIS SECTION IS REAPPROPRIATED IN SECTIONS 901, 902
9 AND 903 OF THIS ACT.
10 SECTION 1102. EFFECTIVE DATE.
11 THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
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