PRINTER'S NO. 1269
No. 1078 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY ROSS, TANGRETTI, DALLY, COY, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI,
BELFANTI, BROWNE, BUNT, CAWLEY, CIVERA, CORRIGAN, CRAHALLA,
CRUZ, DAILEY, DALEY, DeWEESE, FAIRCHILD, FRANKEL, FREEMAN,
GEIST, GEORGE, GOODMAN, GORDNER, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART,
HENNESSEY, HORSEY, KELLER, KOTIK, LAUGHLIN, LEACH, LEWIS,
MACKERETH, MANN, MARSICO, McCALL, McGEEHAN, R. MILLER,
NAILOR, PICKETT, READSHAW, REICHLEY, RUBLEY, SAINATO,
SANTONI, SHANER, SOLOBAY, STERN, STURLA, E. Z. TAYLOR,
THOMAS, TIGUE, WANSACZ, WOJNAROSKI AND YUDICHAK,
APRIL 8, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, APRIL 8, 2003
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 27, 1996 (P.L.403, No.58), entitled "An
2 act to enhance community and economic development in this
3 Commonwealth by restructuring certain administrative
4 functions and entities; changing the name of the Department
5 of Commerce to the Department of Community and Economic
6 Development; transferring functions of the Department of
7 Community Affairs into the Department of Community and
8 Economic Development and other agencies; providing for a
9 Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs and Development in the
10 Department of Community and Economic Development;
11 establishing the Center for Local Government Services and the
12 Local Government Advisory Committee; establishing the Small
13 Business Advocacy Council; conferring powers and duties on
14 the Legislative Reference Bureau; and making repeals,"
15 designating the center for local government services as the
16 agency to act as an advocate for municipal police at the
17 State level.
18 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
19 hereby enacts as follows:
20 Section 1. Section 301 of the act of June 27, 1996 (P.L.403,
21 No.58), known as the Community and Economic Development
1 Enhancement Act, is amended by adding subsections to read:
2 Section 301. To Department of Community and Economic
3 Development.
4 * * *
5 (c.1) In addition to the powers and duties of the center as
6 provided in accordance with subsection (c), the center also
7 shall serve as a State-level advocate in connection with matters
8 of concern to, and regarding, municipal police. In its role as
9 State-level advocate for municipal police, the primary mission
10 of the center shall be to serve as a clearinghouse for
11 information relevant to municipal police, to provide an expanded
12 level of studies and reports on municipal police issues, to
13 encourage appropriate municipal police regionalization and to
14 provide consulting services to municipal police departments. In
15 fulfilling its mission as municipal police advocate, the center
16 shall have the following powers and duties:
17 (1) Maintaining a continuing liaison with the
18 Commonwealth's municipal law enforcement agencies and the
19 Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.
20 (2) Developing and maintaining a database of all
21 Federal, State and private sources, of financial and
22 technical assistance available to local law enforcement
23 agencies and to communicate this information to municipal
24 police officials.
25 (3) Responding to inquiries from municipal law
26 enforcement agencies and providing referrals where
27 appropriate.
28 (4) Administering financial assistance programs already
29 or hereafter provided by statute in accordance with
30 appropriate regulation.
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1 (5) Under the direction of the secretary, serving as the
2 lead agency and advocate for municipal law enforcement in
3 State policy formation and decision making regarding
4 municipal police functions and resources, but this advocacy
5 function shall not include or extend to matters involving
6 employer-employee relations.
7 (6) Under the direction of the secretary, issuing an
8 annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the
9 center's activities as municipal police advocate and on the
10 state of local law enforcement in this Commonwealth, along
11 with recommendations for legislation.
12 (c.2) In the promotion and facilitation of joint initiatives
13 by political subdivisions in accordance with section 301(a)(2),
14 the department shall allocate to shared municipal police
15 services and activities at least 35% of the State appropriation
16 for shared municipal services generally, provided, however, that
17 the 35% minimum allocation to shared municipal police services
18 and activities shall not be applied to any portion of the State
19 appropriation for land use planning that is designated to
20 promote joint land use initiatives among municipalities.
21 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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