PRINTER'S NO. 2201
No. 1666 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY K. SMITH, CARROLL, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, GOODMAN,
JAMES, KENNEY, R. MILLER, MUNDY, READSHAW, THOMAS, WANSACZ,
YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, JULY 3, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JULY 3, 2007
AN ACT
1 Requiring State agencies to conduct public hearings in certain
2 geographic areas of this Commonwealth prior to implementing
3 pilot programs.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Give
8 Pennsylvanians a Voice Act.
9 Section 2. Legislative intent.
10 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
11 (1) The Commonwealth administers various programs
12 intended to enhance the well-being of its citizens and
13 promote economic development.
14 (2) Many of these programs are funded through Federal
15 and State appropriations, and the ongoing challenge of
16 maintaining and improving efficiency in these programs is an
17 ongoing process.
18 (3) The continual erosion of Federal resources across
1 all program areas increases pressure on State officials, as
2 well as the General Assembly, to continue to provide much
3 needed benefits and services.
4 (4) Reductions and eliminations in Federal funding
5 necessitate changes in the administration of programs and
6 services.
7 (5) These changes often result in significantly reduced
8 benefits as well as revisions in how they are administered,
9 sometimes causing additional administrative burdens on small
10 vendors.
11 (6) Before implementing significant administrative
12 changes, State agencies should provide that portion of the
13 public to be impacted by the changes with an opportunity to
14 comment on the potential consequences of the changes.
15 Section 3. Definitions.
16 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
17 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
18 context clearly indicates otherwise:
19 "Executive agency." A department overseeing a specific
20 industry or program area under the jurisdiction of the Governor
21 as defined in Article II of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177,
22 No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929.
23 "North central." That geographic area of this Commonwealth
24 that encompasses Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming,
25 Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga and
26 Union Counties.
27 "Northeast." That geographic area of this Commonwealth that
28 encompasses Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe,
29 Northampton, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties.
30 "Northwest." That geographic area of this Commonwealth that
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1 encompasses Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie,
2 Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Venango and Warren
3 Counties.
4 "South Central." That geographic area of this Commonwealth
5 that encompasses Adams, Berks, Blair, Bedford, Cumberland,
6 Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster,
7 Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry, Schuylkill and York Counties.
8 "Southeast." That geographic area of this Commonwealth that
9 encompasses Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and
10 Philadelphia Counties.
11 "Southwest." That geographic area of this Commonwealth that
12 encompasses Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria,
13 Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland
14 Counties.
15 Section 4. Public hearings required.
16 (a) General rule.--Whenever an executive agency proposes to
17 make a significant change in the administration of or benefits
18 available through a program funded in whole or in part with
19 revenues from the Commonwealth and makes a determination to
20 implement a pilot program to review the impact of the changes,
21 the executive agency shall conduct at least one public hearing
22 in the geographic area of this Commonwealth that will be
23 affected by the proposed changes.
24 (b) Statewide pilot programs.--If the proposed changes will
25 be implemented in a pilot program conducted on a Statewide
26 basis, at least one public hearing shall be held in each of the
27 following geographic areas: the Northeast, North Central,
28 Northwest, Southeast, South Central and Southwest.
29 Section 5. Effective date.
30 This act shall take effect immediately.
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