PRINTER'S NO.  1326

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

1216

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY STURLA, BISHOP, BRIGGS, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, DAVIS, ELLIS, FABRIZIO, GEIST, GOODMAN, HARKINS, HESS, HUTCHINSON, JOSEPHS, KAVULICH, KIRKLAND, KOTIK, KULA, LONGIETTI, MIRABITO, MUNDY, MURPHY, MURT, PAYTON, PYLE, READSHAW, SANTARSIERO, SANTONI, K. SMITH AND WHITE, MARCH 28, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 28, 2011  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Establishing a grant program for municipal fire and emergency

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services organizations; and providing for grant funding.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Chapter 1.  Preliminary Provisions

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Section 101.  Short title.

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Section 102.  Definitions.

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Chapter 3.  Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization

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Grant Program

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Section 301.  Establishment.

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Section 302.  Guidelines and procedures.

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Section 303.  Award of grants.

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Chapter 5.  Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization

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Grant Program Funding Provisions

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Section 501.  Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization

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Grant Program.

 


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Section 502.  Allocation of appropriated funds.

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Chapter 21.  Miscellaneous Provisions

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Section 2101.  Expiration of authority.

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Section 2102.  Effective date.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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CHAPTER 1

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PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

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Section 101.  Short title.

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

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Fire and Emergency Services Organization Grant Act.

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Section 102.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

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have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Advanced life support."  The term shall have the meaning

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given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known

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as the Emergency Medical Services Act.

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"Agency."  The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

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"Basic life support services."  The term shall have the

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meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45),

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known as the Emergency Medical Services Act.

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"Commissioner."  The State Fire Commissioner.

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"Facility."  A structure or portion thereof intended for the

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purpose of storage or protection of firefighting apparatus,

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ambulances and rescue vehicles and related equipment and gear.

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The term does not include meeting halls, social halls, social

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rooms, lounges or any other facility not directly related to

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firefighting or the furnishing of ambulance or rescue services.

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"Grant program." The Municipal Fire and Emergency Services

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Organization Grant Program established in Chapter 3.

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"Invalid coach."  The term shall have the meaning given to it

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in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known as the

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Emergency Medical Services Act.

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"Municipal fire and emergency services organization."  A fire

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department, ambulance service or rescue squad established,

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operated and funded by a municipality within this Commonwealth

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that provides fire protection or emergency services. Emergency

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services provided by a municipal fire and emergency services

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organization may include ambulance and rescue services. The

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ambulance services may include basic life support services or

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advanced life support and the transportation of patients within

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this Commonwealth. The term does not include any corporation,

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association or organization that is primarily engaged in the

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operation of invalid coaches that are intended for the routine

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transport of persons who are convalescent or otherwise

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nonambulatory and do not ordinarily require emergency medical

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treatment while in transit. The rescue services may include

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rescue services in response to fire, vehicle accidents and water

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rescue efforts.

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CHAPTER 3

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MUNICIPAL FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ORGANIZATION

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GRANT PROGRAM

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Section 301.  Establishment.

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The Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization Grant

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Program is established and shall be administered by the agency

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in consultation with the commissioner. Grants provided under

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this program shall be used to improve and enhance the

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capabilities of municipal fire and emergency services

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organizations to provide firefighting, ambulance and rescue

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services.

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Section 302.  Guidelines and procedures.

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The agency shall develop guidelines, procedures and all

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applications necessary to implement the grant program. The

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agency shall submit the guidelines, procedures and applications

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to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the

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Pennsylvania Bulletin within 30 days of the effective date of

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this section.

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Section 303.  Award of grants.

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(a)  Authorization.--The agency may make a grant award to

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each eligible municipal fire and emergency services organization

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for the following:

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(1)  Construction or renovation of the municipal fire and

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emergency services organization's facility and purchase or

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repair of fixtures and furnishings necessary to maintain or

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improve the capability of the municipal fire and emergency

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services organization to provide fire, ambulance and rescue

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services.

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(2)  Repair or purchase of firefighting, ambulance or

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rescue equipment.

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(3)  Retirement or reduction of debt associated with

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paragraph (1) or (2).

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(4)  Training and certification of members.

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(b)  Limits.--

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(1)  Grants shall be not less than $10,000 and not more

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than $1,000,000 per municipal fire and emergency services

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organization.

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(2)  Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the

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total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the

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amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this

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purpose.

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(c)  Time for filing application and department action.--

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(1)  The agency shall provide written instructions and

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guidelines for grants under this chapter to the fire chief

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and president of each municipal fire and emergency services

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organization in this Commonwealth within 60 days of the

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effective date of this section.

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(2)  Municipal fire and emergency services organizations

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seeking grants under this chapter shall submit completed

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applications to the agency on or before December 31, 2011.

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The agency shall act to approve or disapprove the application

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by May 1, 2012. Applications that have not been approved or

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disapproved by the agency by May 1, 2012, shall be deemed

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approved.

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(d)  Eligibility.--To receive grant funds under this chapter,

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a municipal fire and emergency services organization shall have

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actively responded to one or more fire or rescue emergencies

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since July 1, 2009, and must sign an agreement to actively

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participate in the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting

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System.

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CHAPTER 5

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MUNICIPAL FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ORGANIZATION

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GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING PROVISIONS

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Section 501.  Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Organization

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Grant Program.

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From any amount appropriated in a general appropriations act

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to the agency for the Municipal Fire and Emergency Services

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Organization Grant Program, $8,000,000 shall be expended for the

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purpose of making grants to eligible municipal fire and

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emergency services organizations pursuant to Chapter 3.

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Section 502.  Allocation of appropriated funds.

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No moneys from the appropriation for municipal fire and

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emergency services organization grants shall be used for

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expenses or costs incurred by the agency for the administration

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of the grant program authorized under Chapter 3.

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CHAPTER 21

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MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

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Section 2101.  Expiration of authority.

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The authority of the agency to award grants under Chapter 3

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shall expire June 30, 2012.

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Section 2102.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect immediately.

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