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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1458
PRINTER'S NO. 2158
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1231
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, GABLER, MURT, SACCONE, CHARLTON, BARRAR,
CALTAGIRONE, BULLOCK, RYAN, V. BROWN, MILLARD, ROZZI,
McNEILL, JAMES, STAATS, DRISCOLL, BOBACK, IRVIN, DOWLING,
R. BROWN, MILNE, DONATUCCI, SIMS, ROTHMAN, DEASY, GILLEN,
WHEATLEY, McCARTER, MICCARELLI, CEPHAS AND BARBIN,
APRIL 17, 2017
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 27, 2017
AN ACT
Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs, providing for veterans registry.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 712. Veterans registry.
(a) Establishment of veterans registry.--The department
shall establish a registry of veterans residing in this
Commonwealth in order to provide information on available State
benefits, programs and services to registered veterans.
(b) Coordination with State agencies.--The department shall,
in coordination with other State agencies that have contact with
veterans, establish a system for State agencies to communicate
to the department information about veterans who wish to be
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included in the registry. The department shall develop
procedures and forms as deemed necessary to facilitate the
implementation of this subsection, including an opt-out
provision for veterans who choose not to be included in the
registry.
(c) Duties of State agencies.--State agencies under
subsection (b) shall:
(1) Develop a mechanism to identify veterans the agency
serves for the purpose of expanding the registry.
(2) For each veteran who wishes to be included in the
registry, provide to the department sufficient information
for the department to add the veteran to the registry.
(d) Use of information.--Information collected under this
section for the registry may not be sold or used for commercial
purposes or otherwise used for purposes not specified under this
section.
(e) Report.--By July 31, 2018, and each year thereafter, the
department shall submit to the chairperson and minority
chairperson of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority
chairperson of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee of the House of Representatives a report on the
registry to include:
(1) Active membership.
(2) Referrals received by other State agencies.
(3) Number of individuals that opted out of inclusion in
the registry.
(4) Outreach expenses incurred by the department.
(f) Guidelines.--The Adjutant General shall adopt and
promulgate guidelines necessary to carry out the provisions of
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this section.
ยง 712. VETERANS REGISTRY.
(A) ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS REGISTRY.--THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL ESTABLISH A REGISTRY OF VETERANS RESIDING IN THIS
COMMONWEALTH IN ORDER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON FEDERAL, STATE
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BENEFITS, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE
TO VETERANS AND TO LINK VETERANS WITH RESOURCES THAT CAN PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE. UPON REGISTRATION, IF PERMISSION IS GRANTED BY THE
REGISTRANT, THE REGISTRANT'S INFORMATION SHALL BE SHARED WITH
COUNTY DIRECTORS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES.
(B) COORDINATION WITH STATE AGENCIES.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
COORDINATE WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES THAT HAVE CONTACT WITH
VETERANS TO ESTABLISH A PAPER AND ONLINE REGISTRY FORM TO ENABLE
STATE AGENCIES TO ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT IN REGISTERING VETERANS
WHO WISH TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRY.
(C) DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE
ACCESS TO A PAPER AND ONLINE FORM WHICH CONTAINS A STATEMENT
INDICATING THE PURPOSE FOR THE REGISTRY. THE FORM SHALL BE
DEVELOPED TO OBTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION RELATING TO THE
VETERAN:
(1) PERSONAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING TITLE, FIRST, MIDDLE
AND LAST NAME.
(2) AGE, GENDER, ADDRESS AND COUNTY OF RESIDENCE.
(3) TEN-DIGIT PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS.
(4) DECLARATION OF MILITARY SERVICE.
(5) BENEFIT AND PROGRAM INFORMATION REQUESTS FOR VARIOUS
BENEFITS AND PROGRAMS FOR WHICH VETERANS MAY BE ELIGIBLE.
(6) A SIGNED STATEMENT, OR FOR ONLINE APPLICANTS A BOX
THAT IS CHECKED, INDICATING THAT THE VETERAN GRANTS
PERMISSION FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO STORE AND SHARE THE
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VETERAN'S INFORMATION WITH THE COUNTY DIRECTOR OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS FOR THE COUNTY INDICATED AND WITH OTHER STATE
AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMONWEALTH PROVIDES THE VETERAN
ASSISTANCE IN RECEIVING EARNED BENEFITS.
(7) THE STATE AGENCY WHICH ASSISTED THE VETERAN.
(D) DUTIES OF STATE AGENCIES.--STATE AGENCIES UNDER
SUBSECTION (B) SHALL:
(1) UTILIZE THE PAPER OR ONLINE REGISTRY FORM TO DEVELOP
A MECHANISM TO IDENTIFY VETERANS THE AGENCY SERVES FOR THE
PURPOSE OF EXPANDING THE REGISTRY.
(2) FOR EACH VETERAN WHO WISHES TO BE INCLUDED IN THE
REGISTRY, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN FILLING OUT THE PAPER OR
ONLINE REGISTRY FORM FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO ADD THE VETERAN TO
THE REGISTRY.
(3) SUBMIT A REGISTRANT'S PAPER REGISTRY FORM TO THE
DEPARTMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE THE VETERAN OPTS IN
TO THE REGISTRY.
(E) USE OF INFORMATION.--INFORMATION COLLECTED UNDER THIS
SECTION MAY NOT BE SOLD OR USED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES OR USED
FOR PURPOSES NOT SPECIFIED UNDER THIS SECTION. INFORMATION
COLLECTED UNDER THIS SECTION FOR THE REGISTRY SHALL BE EXEMPT
FROM BEING DISCLOSED UNDER THE ACT OF FEBRUARY 14, 2008 (P.L.6,
NO.3), KNOWN AS THE RIGHT-TO-KNOW LAW.
(F) REPORT.--BY JANUARY 1, 2018, AND EACH JANUARY 1
THEREAFTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT TO THE CHAIRPERSON AND
MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE AND THE CHAIRPERSON AND
MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A REPORT
ON THE REGISTRY WHICH SHALL INCLUDE:
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(1) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VETERANS REGISTERED WITH THE
DEPARTMENT ANNUALLY.
(2) THE NUMBER OF REGISTRANTS RECEIVED BY EACH STATE
AGENCY.
(3) THE NUMBER OF VETERANS WHO CHOOSE NOT TO BE INCLUDED
IN THE REGISTRY ANNUALLY FROM EACH STATE AGENCY.
(4) OUTREACH EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
(G) GUIDELINES.--THE ADJUTANT GENERAL MAY ADOPT AND
PROMULGATE GUIDELINES NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF
THIS SECTION.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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