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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 1326

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1173 Session of 1999


        INTRODUCED BY STEVENSON, PESCI, HERMAN, FARGO, VAN HORNE, WALKO,
           KAISER, McILHINNEY, McILHATTAN, THOMAS, WILLIAMS, YOUNGBLOOD,
           READSHAW, FLEAGLE, HERSHEY, LAUGHLIN, BENNINGHOFF, BAKER,
           SAYLOR, ORIE, JAMES, ROSS, M. COHEN, TRELLO, DALLY,
           E. Z. TAYLOR, ROHRER, PIPPY AND R. MILLER, APRIL 7, 1999

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, APRIL 7, 1999

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of May 2, 1945 (P.L.382, No.164), entitled "An
     2     act providing for the incorporation as bodies corporate and
     3     politic of 'Authorities' for municipalities, counties and
     4     townships; prescribing the rights, powers and duties of such
     5     Authorities heretofore or hereafter incorporated; authorizing
     6     such Authorities to acquire, construct, improve, maintain and
     7     operate projects, and to borrow money and issue bonds
     8     therefor; providing for the payment of such bonds, and
     9     prescribing the rights of the holders thereof; conferring the
    10     right of eminent domain on such Authorities; authorizing such
    11     Authorities to enter into contracts with and to accept grants
    12     from the Federal Government or any agency thereof; and
    13     conferring exclusive jurisdiction on certain courts over
    14     rates," further providing for investment of authority funds
    15     by certain authorities.

    16     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    17  hereby enacts as follows:
    18     Section 1.  Subsections B and D of section 7.1 of the act of
    19  May 2, 1945 (P.L.382, No.164), known as the Municipality
    20  Authorities Act of 1945, amended July 11, 1996 (P.L.651,
    21  No.110), are amended and the section is amended by adding a
    22  subsection to read:
    23     Section 7.1.  Investment of Authority Funds.--* * *

     1     B.  [The] Except as provided for in subsection F, the board
     2  shall invest Authority funds consistent with sound business
     3  practice and the standard of prudence applicable to the State
     4  Employees' Retirement System set forth in 71 Pa.C.S. § 5931(a)
     5  (relating to management of fund and accounts).
     6     * * *
     7     D.  [Authorized] Except as provided for in subsection F,
     8  authorized types of investments for Authority funds shall be:
     9     (a)  United States Treasury bills.
    10     (b)  Short-term obligations of the United States Government
    11  or its agencies or instrumentalities.
    12     (c)  Deposits in savings accounts or time deposits or share
    13  accounts of institutions insured by the Federal Deposit
    14  Insurance Corporation or the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance
    15  Corporation or the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund to
    16  the extent that such accounts are so insured, and, for any
    17  amounts above the insured maximum, provided that approved
    18  collateral as provided by law therefore shall be pledged by the
    19  depository.
    20     (d)  Obligations of the United States of America or any of
    21  its agencies or instrumentalities backed by the full faith and
    22  credit of the United States of America, the Commonwealth of
    23  Pennsylvania or any of its agencies or instrumentalities backed
    24  by the full faith and credit of the Commonwealth, or of any
    25  political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any
    26  of its agencies or instrumentalities backed by the full faith
    27  and credit of the political subdivision.
    28     (e)  Shares of an investment company registered under the
    29  Investment Company Act of 1940, whose shares are registered
    30  under the Securities Act of 1933, provided that the only
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     1  investments of that company are in the authorized investments
     2  for Authority funds listed in clauses (a) through (d).
     3     (f)  Sovereign debt, provided that the instruments are dollar
     4  denominated and backed by the full faith and credit of the
     5  sovereign government, that said investments do not exceed more
     6  than two per centum of the market value of the Authority's
     7  assets at the time of investment, that the maturity of the
     8  instruments does not exceed fifteen years, that the obligations
     9  are permitted investments of the State Employees' Retirement
    10  System and that it is established that the issuer had issued
    11  such sovereign debt over a period of at least thirty years and
    12  has not defaulted on the payment either of principal or interest
    13  on its obligations. This clause shall only apply to a board in a
    14  county of the first class, second class or second class A or in
    15  a city of the first class, second class, second class A or third
    16  class.
    17     * * *
    18     F.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in
    19  the investment of Authority funds by any Pennsylvania Municipal
    20  Authority engaged in providing emergency medical services and
    21  related services pursuant to the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164,
    22  No.45), known as the "Emergency Medical Services Act," the board
    23  shall be governed solely by the exercise of that degree of
    24  judgement, skill and care under the circumstances then
    25  prevailing which persons of prudence, discretion and
    26  intelligence, who are familiar with such matters, exercise in
    27  the management of their own affairs.
    28     Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.


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