SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1003, 1691, 2364 PRINTER'S NO. 2383
No. 8 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY SATHER, SEMMEL, STERN, SAYLOR, BOYES, BAKER,
BARRAR, BASTIAN, BUXTON, CAPPELLI, CIVERA, COY, CREIGHTON,
FAIRCHILD, FEESE, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FLICK, GEORGE, GORDNER,
GRUCELA, HARRIS, HERMAN, HESS, LAUGHLIN, LEVDANSKY, LEWIS,
MARKOSEK, McILHATTAN, R. MILLER, MUNDY, O'NEILL, PHILLIPS,
B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, T. STEVENSON, TRAVAGLIO, WALKO, WATSON,
WILT, YOUNGBLOOD, ZUG, MAJOR, THOMAS, GODSHALL, MARSICO,
PAYNE, ROSS, R. STEVENSON, COSTA, HARHAI, REED, S. H. SMITH,
SURRA, GEIST, McNAUGHTON, BELARDI, ALLEN, BROWNE, DALLY,
LEACH, SCHRODER, CAUSER, PICKETT, S. MILLER, LEH, RAYMOND,
CRAHALLA, SCRIMENTI, SAINATO, REICHLEY, E. Z. TAYLOR,
PALLONE, BUNT, SHANER, BELFANTI, HENNESSEY, STABACK, TURZAI,
RUBLEY, WASHINGTON, GOODMAN, CURRY, HICKERNELL, CLYMER,
McGEEHAN, DALEY, YUDICHAK, FREEMAN, JAMES, HARPER, WEBER,
PISTELLA, HABAY AND DeLUCA, MARCH 12, 2003
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, JULY 8, 2003
AN ACT
1 Establishing a grant program for volunteer fire companies and
2 volunteer ambulance services; and providing for grant
3 funding.
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 Volunteer
10 Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Act.
11 Section 102. Definitions.
1 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
2 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
3 context clearly indicates otherwise:
4 "Advanced life support services." The term shall have the
5 meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45),
6 known as the Emergency Medical Services Act.
7 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
8 "Basic life support services." The term shall have the
9 meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45),
10 known as the Emergency Medical Services Act.
11 "Commissioner." The State Fire Commissioner.
12 "Facility." A structure or portion thereof intended for the
13 purpose of storage or protection of firefighting apparatus,
14 ambulances and rescue vehicles and related equipment and gear.
15 The term does not include meeting halls, social halls, social
16 rooms, lounges or any other facility not directly related to
17 firefighting or the furnishing of ambulance or rescue services.
18 "Grant program." The Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program
19 established in Chapter 3 or the Volunteer Ambulance Service
20 Grant Program established in Chapter 5.
21 "Invalid coach." The term shall have the meaning given to it
22 in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known as the
23 Emergency Medical Services Act.
24 "Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered
25 corporation, association or organization located in this
26 Commonwealth, which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department
27 of Health and is not associated or affiliated with any hospital
28 and which is regularly engaged in the provision of emergency
29 medical services, including basic life support or advanced life
30 support services and the transportation of patients WITHIN THIS <--
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1 COMMONWEALTH. The term shall not include any corporation,
2 association or organization that is primarily engaged in the
3 operation of invalid coaches which are intended for the routine
4 transport of persons who are convalescent or otherwise
5 nonambulatory and do not ordinarily require emergency medical
6 treatment while in transit.
7 "Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered corporation,
8 association or organization located in this Commonwealth which
9 provides fire protection or rescue services and which may offer
10 other voluntary emergency services within this Commonwealth.
11 Voluntary emergency services provided by a volunteer fire
12 company may include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue
13 services.
14 "Volunteer rescue company." A nonprofit chartered
15 corporation, association or organization LOCATED IN THIS <--
16 COMMONWEALTH that provides rescue services as part of the
17 response to fires and/or vehicle accidents WITHIN THIS <--
18 COMMONWEALTH.
19 CHAPTER 3
20 VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY GRANT PROGRAM
21 Section 301. Establishment.
22 The Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program is hereby
23 established and shall be administered by the agency in
24 consultation with the commissioner. Grants provided under this
25 program shall be used to improve and enhance the capabilities of
26 the volunteer fire company to provide firefighting, ambulance
27 and rescue services.
28 Section 302. Guidelines and procedures.
29 The agency shall develop guidelines, procedures and all
30 applications necessary to implement the grant program. The
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1 agency shall submit the guidelines, procedures and applications
2 to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the
3 Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin within 30 days of the effective
4 date of this act.
5 Section 303. Award of grants.
6 (a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make
7 a one-time grant award to each eligible volunteer fire company
8 for the following:
9 (1) Construction and/or renovation of the fire company's
10 facility and purchase or repair of fixtures and furnishings
11 necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the
12 company to provide fire, ambulance and rescue services.
13 (2) Repair of firefighting, ambulance or rescue
14 equipment or purchase thereof.
15 (3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
16 (4) Training and certification of members.
17 (b) Limits.--
18 (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), grants shall be
19 not less than $2,500 and not more than $15,000 per volunteer
20 fire company.
21 (2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
22 total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
23 amount of funds allocated in section 702.
24 (3) In a municipality where there are two or more
25 volunteer fire companies and if two or more fire companies
26 consolidated their use of equipment, firefighters and
27 services between July 1, 1998, and the date of enactment of
28 this act, each entity from which the consolidated entity was
29 created will be eligible for a grant as though it had not
30 consolidated.
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1 (c) Time for filing application and department action.--
2 (1) The agency shall provide applications for grants
3 under this act to the fire chief and president of every
4 volunteer fire company in this Commonwealth on or before July
5 31, 2003.
6 (2) Volunteer fire companies seeking grants under this
7 act shall submit completed applications to the agency on or
8 before December 31, 2003. The agency shall act to approve or
9 disapprove the application by May 1, 2004. Applications which
10 have not been approved or disapproved by the agency by May 1,
11 2004, shall be deemed approved.
12 (d) Eligibility.--To receive grant funds under this act, a
13 volunteer fire company shall have actively responded to one or
14 more fire or rescue emergencies since July 1, 2003 2002, and <--
15 must sign an agreement to actively participate in the
16 Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting System which is
17 administered by the agency.
18 Section 304. Consolidation incentive.
19 If, after the effective date of this act, two or more
20 volunteer fire companies consolidate their use of facilities,
21 equipment, firefighters and services, the consolidated entity
22 may, upon notification of the agency, be eligible for a
23 reduction of the interest rate payable on any outstanding
24 principal balance owed, as of the date of consolidation, by any
25 or all of the consolidating companies to the Volunteer Companies
26 Loan Fund for loans made under the act of July 15, 1976
27 (P.L.1036, No.208), known as the Volunteer Fire Company,
28 Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad Assistance Act. The reduction
29 in the interest rate payable shall be from 2% to 1%. Upon
30 receipt of such notification, the agency, in conjunction with
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1 the State Fire Commissioner, shall determine and verify that the
2 consolidated entity is in fact a bona fide consolidated
3 volunteer fire company. If the agency determines that the
4 consolidated entity is a bona fide consolidated volunteer fire
5 company, it shall reduce the interest rate payable on any
6 outstanding principal balance owed to the Volunteer Companies
7 Loan Fund for loans made under the Volunteer Fire Company,
8 Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad Assistance Act, for which the
9 consolidating companies or the consolidated entity may be
10 individually or jointly responsible. The agency may promulgate
11 such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the
12 provisions of this section.
13 CHAPTER 5
14 VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM
15 Section 501. Establishment.
16 The Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program is hereby
17 established and shall be administered by the agency. Grants
18 provided under this program shall be used to improve and enhance
19 the capabilities of the volunteer ambulance services to provide
20 ambulance, emergency medical, basic life support and advanced
21 life support services.
22 Section 502. Guidelines and procedures.
23 The agency shall develop guidelines, procedures and all
24 applications necessary to implement the grant program. The
25 agency shall submit the guidelines, procedures and applications
26 to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the
27 Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin within 30 days of the effective
28 date of this act.
29 Section 503. Award of grants.
30 (a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make
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1 a one-time grant award to each eligible volunteer ambulance
2 service for the following:
3 (1) Construction and/or renovation of the volunteer
4 ambulance service's facility and purchase or repair of
5 fixtures, furnishings, office equipment and support services
6 necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the
7 ambulance service to provide ambulance, emergency medical,
8 basic life support and advanced life support services.
9 (2) Repair of ambulance equipment or purchase thereof.
10 (3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
11 (4) Training and certification of members.
12 (b) Limits.--
13 (1) Grants shall be not less than $2,500 and not more
14 than $10,000 per volunteer ambulance service.
15 (2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
16 total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
17 amount of funds allocated in section 703.
18 (c) Time for filing application and department action.--
19 (1) The agency shall provide applications for grants
20 under this act to the president of every volunteer ambulance
21 service in this Commonwealth on or before July 31, 2003.
22 (2) Volunteer ambulance services seeking grants under
23 this chapter shall submit completed applications to the
24 agency on or before December 31, 2003. The agency shall act
25 to approve or disapprove the application by May 1, 2004.
26 Applications which have not been approved or disapproved by
27 the agency by May 1, 2004, shall be deemed approved.
28 CHAPTER 7
29 GRANT FUNDING PROVISIONS
30 Section 701. Agency funding. <--
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1 Of the $25,000,000 appropriated to the agency for volunteer
2 company grants under section 225 of the act of March 20, 2003
3 (P.L. , No.1A), known as the General Appropriation Act of
4 2003, not more than $100,000 of the appropriation shall be
5 expended on the expenses or costs incurred by the agency for the
6 administration of the grant programs authorized under Chapters 3
7 and 5.
8 Section 702. Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program.
9 Subject to the allocation of agency funding provided for
10 under section 701, the agency shall expend 88% of the balance of
11 the appropriation identified in section 701 for the purpose of
12 making grants to eligible volunteer fire companies pursuant to
13 Chapter 3.
14 Section 703. Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program.
15 Subject to the allocation of agency funding provided for
16 under section 701, the agency shall expend 12% of the balance of
17 the appropriation identified in section 701 for the purpose of
18 making grants to eligible volunteer ambulance services pursuant
19 to Chapter 5.
20 SECTION 701. VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY GRANT PROGRAM. <--
21 THE SUM OF $22,000,000 OF THE AMOUNT APPROPRIATED TO THE
22 AGENCY FOR VOLUNTEER COMPANY GRANTS UNDER SECTION 225 OF THE ACT
23 OF MARCH 20, 2003 (P.L., NO.1A), KNOWN AS THE GENERAL
24 APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2003, SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF
25 MAKING GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES PURSUANT TO
26 CHAPTER 3.
27 SECTION 702. VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM.
28 THE SUM OF $3,000,000 OF THE AMOUNT APPROPRIATED TO THE
29 AGENCY FOR VOLUNTEER COMPANY GRANTS UNDER SECTION 225 OF THE ACT
30 OF MARCH 20, 2003 (P.L., NO.1A), KNOWN AS THE GENERAL
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1 APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2003, SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF
2 MAKING GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE COMPANIES PURSUANT
3 TO CHAPTER 5.
4 SECTION 703. PROHIBITION.
5 NO MONEYS FROM THE APPROPRIATION FOR VOLUNTEER COMPANY GRANTS
6 UNDER SECTION 225 OF THE ACT OF MARCH 20, 2003 (P.L., NO.1A),
7 KNOWN AS THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2003, SHALL BE USED
8 FOR EXPENSES OR COSTS INCURRED BY THE AGENCY FOR THE
9 ADMINISTRATION OF THE GRANT PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED UNDER CHAPTERS 3
10 AND 5.
11 CHAPTER 9
12 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
13 Section 901. Expiration of authority.
14 The authority of the agency to award grants under Chapters 3
15 and 5 shall expire June 30, 2004.
16 SECTION 902. DECLARATION. <--
17 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECLARES THAT THIS ACT SATISFIES THE
18 ENABLING LEGISLATION REQUIREMENT CONTAINED IN THE APPROPRIATION
19 TO THE AGENCY FOR VOLUNTEER COMPANY GRANTS UNDER SECTION 225 OF
20 THE ACT OF MARCH 20, 2003 (P.L., NO.1A), KNOWN AS THE GENERAL
21 APPROPRIATION ACT OF 2003, THAT NO MONEYS FROM SAID
22 APPROPRIATION MAY BE EXPENDED UNTIL ENABLING LEGISLATION IS
23 ENACTED.
24 Section 902 903. Effective date. <--
25 This act shall take effect July 1, 2003, or immediately,
26 whichever is later.
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