THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY BENNINGHOFF, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, CUTLER, GABLER, HORNAMAN, HUTCHINSON, LAWRENCE, METCALFE, MILNE, RAPP, READSHAW, ROAE, TRUITT AND VULAKOVICH, MARCH 7, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 7, 2011  

AN ACT

Prohibiting public funding of certain plaques projects.

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 Public

Construction Plaque 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:

"Agency."  A Commonwealth agency, a local agency, a judicial

agency or a legislative agency.

"Commonwealth agency."  Any of the following:

(1)  Any office, department, authority, board, multistate

agency or commission of the executive branch, an independent

agency and a State-affiliated entity. The term includes:

(i)  The Governor's Office.

(ii)  The Office of Attorney General, the Department

of the Auditor General and the Treasury Department.

(iii)  An organization established by the

Constitution of Pennsylvania, a statute or an executive

order that performs or is intended to perform an

essential governmental function.

(2)  The term does not include a judicial or legislative

agency.

"Judicial agency."  A court of this Commonwealth or any other

entity or office of the unified judicial system.

"Legislative agency."  Any of the following:

(1)  The Senate.

(2)  The House of Representatives.

(3)  The Capitol Preservation Committee.

(4)  The Center for Rural Pennsylvania.

(5)  The Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution

Control and Conservation Committee.

(6)  The Joint State Government Commission.

(7)  The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.

(8)  The Legislative Data Processing Committee.

(9)  The Independent Regulatory Review Commission.

(10)  The Legislative Reference Bureau.

(11)  The Local Government Commission.

(12)  The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing.

(13)  The Legislative Reapportionment Commission.

(14)  The Legislative Office for Research Liaison.

(15)  The Legislative Audit Advisory Commission.

"Local agency."  Any of the following:

(1)  Any political subdivision, intermediate unit,

charter school, cyber charter school or public trade or

vocational school.

(2)  Any local, intergovernmental, regional or municipal

agency, authority, council, board, commission or similar

governmental entity.

Section 3.  Prohibition.

No agency may expend public funds for the purpose of

purchasing or producing a plaque or sign that identifies a

public official, architect, designer, contractor or other person

involved in a construction project that is partially or wholly

paid for with public funds.

Section 4.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.