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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 3934

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2646 Session of 2004


        INTRODUCED BY BUNT, STURLA, GINGRICH, DeWEESE, ARMSTRONG, BAKER,
           BISHOP, CAUSER, CIVERA, CRAHALLA, DALEY, DeLUCA, EGOLF,
           FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, GOOD, GOODMAN,
           HARPER, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HORSEY, LAUGHLIN, LEVDANSKY,
           MANDERINO, MANN, McCALL, MUSTIO, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, READSHAW,
           RUBLEY, SAINATO, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SCRIMENTI, SOLOBAY,
           E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, WALKO, WATSON AND YOUNGBLOOD,
           MAY 26, 2004

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, MAY 26, 2004

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), entitled "An
     2     act relating to tax reform and State taxation by codifying
     3     and enumerating certain subjects of taxation and imposing
     4     taxes thereon; providing procedures for the payment,
     5     collection, administration and enforcement thereof; providing
     6     for tax credits in certain cases; conferring powers and
     7     imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue, certain
     8     employers, fiduciaries, individuals, persons, corporations
     9     and other entities; prescribing crimes, offenses and
    10     penalties," providing for contributions for hunger prevention
    11     efforts.

    12     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    13  hereby enacts as follows:
    14     Section 1.  The act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as
    15  the Tax Reform Code of 1971, is amended by adding a section to
    16  read:
    17     Section 315.7.  Contributions for Hunger Prevention
    18  Efforts.--(a)  The department shall provide a space on the
    19  Pennsylvania individual income tax return form whereby an


     1  individual may voluntarily designate a contribution of any
     2  amount desired to be utilized for hunger prevention efforts
     3  related to:
     4     (1)  facilitating the purchase of Pennsylvania-grown fruits
     5  and vegetables by food-insecure households;
     6     (2)  assessing the adequacy of access to charitable food
     7  distributions by food-insecure households and improving access
     8  in counties where access is inadequate;
     9     (3)  assessing the nutritional adequacy of charitable food
    10  inventories and improving the nutritional balance of those
    11  inventories through bulk purchases of items from food groups
    12  that are underrepresented; or
    13     (4)  increasing participation in federally funded nutrition
    14  programs.
    15     (b)  The amount so designated on the Pennsylvania individual
    16  income tax return form shall be deducted from the tax refund to
    17  which the individual is entitled and shall not constitute a
    18  charge against the income tax revenues due to the Commonwealth.
    19     (c) (1)  The department shall determine annually the total
    20  amount designated under this section, less reasonable
    21  administrative costs, and shall report the amount to the State
    22  Treasurer who shall transfer the amount to a restricted receipts
    23  account within the General Fund to be used by the Department of
    24  Agriculture for hunger prevention efforts.
    25     (2)  The Department of Agriculture shall award the amounts as
    26  competitive grants to nonprofit organizations conducting hunger
    27  prevention efforts within this Commonwealth.
    28     (d)  The department shall provide adequate information
    29  concerning the checkoff for hunger prevention in its
    30  instructions which accompany the Pennsylvania income tax return
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     1  forms. The information concerning the checkoff shall include the
     2  listing of an address furnished by the Department of Agriculture
     3  to which contributions may be sent by taxpayers wishing to
     4  contribute to this effort but who do not receive refunds.
     5     (e)  The Department of Agriculture shall report annually to
     6  the respective committees of the Senate and the House of
     7  Representatives which have jurisdiction over agriculture/health
     8  matters on the amount received via the checkoff plan and how the
     9  funds were utilized.
    10     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.














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