THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY CREIGHTON, CALTAGIRONE, DENLINGER, GABLER, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, MILLER, MOUL, PETRI, PYLE, ROCK, TALLMAN, J. TAYLOR AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 17, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 17, 2011  

AN ACT

Providing for notice and public hearing relating to executive

agency facilities and Pennsylvania Board of Probation and

Parole facilities.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Commonwealth

Project Notification Act.

Section 2.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Board."  The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole.

"Executive agency."  The Governor and the departments,

boards, commissions, authorities and other agencies of the

Commonwealth. The term does not include a court or agency of the

unified judicial system, the General Assembly or any independent

or State-affiliated entity, including a member institution of

the State System of Higher Education.

Section 3.  Executive agencies.

(a)  Public hearing required.--An executive agency shall

conduct a public hearing within the county of the proposed site

of any facility with a value of at least $100,000, which the

executive agency builds or causes to be built or buys or causes

to be bought, not less than six months prior to the date on

which the facility is scheduled to commence operations. At the

public hearing, the executive agency shall explain the

operations of the facility and shall permit public comment

related to the operation of the facility.

(b)  Public notice.--An executive agency shall provide at a

minimum two notices in a newspaper of general circulation of its

intent to hold a public hearing. Each notice shall provide

information regarding the topic, location and time of the public

hearing and a contact number for interested persons to call for

additional information. An executive agency shall obtain and

keep on file notarized statements attesting to the publishing of

the notices.

(c)  Notice to county and municipality.--An executive agency

shall send a copy of the public notice to the administrative

offices of all municipalities and the county wherein the

facility is to be located.

(d)  Time of notice.--An executive agency shall provide

public notice no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days

from the date of the public hearing scheduled pursuant to

subsection (a).

Section 4.  Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole.

(a)  Public hearing required.--The board shall conduct a

public hearing within the county of the proposed site of any

facility leased for its use, not less than six months prior to

the date on which the facility is scheduled to commence

operations. At the public hearing, the board shall explain the

operations of the facility and shall permit public comment

related to the operation of the facility.

(b)  Public notice.--The board shall provide at a minimum two

notices in a newspaper of general circulation of its intent to

hold a public hearing. Each notice shall provide information

regarding the topic, location and time of the public hearing and

a contact number for interested persons to call for additional

information. The board shall obtain and keep on file notarized

statements attesting to the publishing of the notices.

(c)  Notice to county and municipality.--The board shall send

a copy of the public notice to the administrative offices of all

municipalities and the county wherein the facility is to be

located.

(d)  Time of notice.--The board shall provide public notice

no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date

of the public hearing scheduled pursuant to subsection (a).

Section 5.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.