PRINTER'S NO. 1400
No. 1194 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, HERMAN, TURZAI, REICHLEY, CAPPELLI,
BELARDI, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CORRIGAN, DALEY, FLEAGLE,
FRANKEL, GEORGE, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARRIS, W. KELLER, MANN,
READSHAW, STABACK, THOMAS, WANSACZ AND YOUNGBLOOD,
MARCH 29, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, MARCH 29, 2005
AN ACT
1 Establishing a grant program for shared municipal services;
2 conferring powers and duties upon the Department of Community
3 and Economic Development; and making an appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 CHAPTER 1
7 PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
8 Section 101. Short title.
9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Shared
10 Municipal Services Grant Act.
11 Section 102. Definitions.
12 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
13 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14 context clearly indicates otherwise:
15 "Department." The Department of Community and Economic
16 Development of the Commonwealth.
17 "Eligible municipality." A city of the first class, second
1 class, second class A or third class, township of the first
2 class or second class, borough or incorporated town located
3 within this Commonwealth.
4 "Grant program." The Shared Municipal Services Grant Program
5 established by this act.
6 "Shared service agreement." Any agreement, by contract,
7 between two or more municipalities whereby the municipalities
8 involved cooperatively share one or more public services.
9 "Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered
10 corporation, association or organization located in this
11 Commonwealth, not associated or affiliated with any volunteer
12 fire company or hospital and which is regularly engaged in the
13 provision of emergency medical services, including basic life
14 support or advanced life support services and the transportation
15 of patients. The term does not include any corporation,
16 association or organization that is primarily engaged in the
17 operation of invalid coaches which are intended for the routine
18 transport of persons who are convalescent or otherwise
19 nonambulatory and do not ordinarily require emergency medical
20 treatment while in transit.
21 "Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered corporation,
22 association or organization located in this Commonwealth which
23 provides fire protection services and which may offer other
24 voluntary emergency services within this Commonwealth. Voluntary
25 emergency services provided by a volunteer fire company may
26 include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue services.
27 CHAPTER 3
28 SHARED MUNICIPAL SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM
29 Section 301. Establishment.
30 The Shared Municipal Services Grant Program is hereby
20050H1194B1400 - 2 -
1 established and shall be administered by the department. Grants
2 provided under this program shall be used to improve and enhance
3 the quality and reduce the cost of municipal services by
4 providing financial assistance for the sharing of services.
5 Section 302. Guidelines and procedures.
6 The department shall promulgate the rules, regulations,
7 guidelines, procedures and all applications necessary to
8 implement the grant program. The department shall submit the
9 rules, regulations, guidelines, procedures and applications to
10 the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the
11 Pennsylvania Bulletin and Pennsylvania Code within 90 days of
12 the effective date of this act.
13 Section 303. Award of grants.
14 (a) Authorization.--The department is hereby authorized to
15 make grant awards to an eligible municipality for the purpose of
16 providing financial assistance for implementing a shared service
17 agreement. Nothing in this act shall prevent an eligible
18 municipality from using funds from a grant program award for a
19 shared service agreement for volunteer fire company, volunteer
20 ambulance or other emergency services.
21 (b) Limits.--No more than one grant award shall be provided
22 for each shared service agreement. However, nothing in this act
23 shall prevent any municipality from receiving the direct benefit
24 of more than one grant award, provided that municipality has
25 entered into more than one shared service agreement.
26 (c) Time for filing application and department action.--The
27 agency shall make available applications for grants under this
28 act to be submitted on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal
29 year.
30 CHAPTER 11
20050H1194B1400 - 3 -
1 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
2 Section 1101. Appropriation.
3 The sum of $10,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
4 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of Community
5 and Economic Development for the fiscal year July 1, 2005, to
6 June 30, 2006, to carry out the provisions of this act. No
7 moneys from this appropriation may be used for expenses or costs
8 incurred by the department for the administration of the grant
9 program.
10 Section 1102. Effective date.
11 This act shall take effect July 1, 2005, or immediately,
12 whichever is later.
A28L53MSP/20050H1194B1400 - 4 -