PRINTER'S NO. 1324

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No. 1171 Session of 1999

        INTRODUCED BY STERN, SEMMEL, SAYLOR, PRESTON, ORIE, BAKER,
           SOLOBAY, MYERS, HALUSKA, HUTCHINSON, PETRARCA, WOJNAROSKI,
           SCHRODER, BARRAR, DALEY, READSHAW, LEDERER, BELFANTI,
           E. Z. TAYLOR, LYNCH, GEIST, SATHER, TRICH, LUCYK,
           L. I. COHEN, RAMOS, WILLIAMS, HENNESSEY, HARHAI AND
           YOUNGBLOOD, APRIL 7, 1999

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
           PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 7, 1999

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
     2     Consolidated Statutes, further providing for eligibility for
     3     the Veterans' Emergency Assistance Program.

     4     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     5  hereby enacts as follows:
     6     Section 1.  Section 8503 of Title 51 of the Pennsylvania
     7  Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
     8  § 8503.  Eligibility.
     9     (a)  Prerequisites.--In order to qualify for the Veterans'
    10  Emergency Assistance Program, applicants must demonstrate that:
    11         (1)  They are eligible veterans or surviving dependents
    12     of eligible veterans.
    13         (2)  They are domiciliaries of Pennsylvania who
    14     permanently reside exclusively in this Commonwealth.
    15         (3)  [They] Except as provided in subsection (b), they
    16     are not receiving monetary assistance payable under the act

     1     of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare
     2     Code.
     3         (4)  They suffered a sudden or unexpected loss of income
     4     or other source of support such that they have a direct and
     5     immediate demonstrable financial need for assistance in order
     6     to provide themselves and their families with food, shelter,
     7     clothing, required medical care and other necessities of
     8     life.
     9     (b)  Exemption.--An individual may be exempt from the
    10  prohibition in subsection(a)(3) provided that the commission has
    11  deemed the applicant to be suffering from a recent catastrophic
    12  situation. For the purpose of this section, catastrophic
    13  situation means a sudden or unexpected loss or damage of
    14  personal property due to fire, flood or other natural disaster
    15  beyond the control of the applicant for emergency assistance.
    16     Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.










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