THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY SEIP, PICKETT, BAKER, CONKLIN, GEORGE, GIBBONS, HESS, HUTCHINSON, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, KULA AND K. SMITH, MARCH 12, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 12, 2009  

AN ACT

Amending the act of June 30, 1987 (P.L.163, No.16), entitled "An

act providing for the revitalization of rural Pennsylvania;

establishing the Center for Rural Pennsylvania; providing for

rural education partnerships and adult literacy programs;

allocating funds appropriated to the Department of Commerce

for a Regional Center for Continuing Education of Health

Science Practitioners in western Pennsylvania; making

appropriations; and making a repeal," further providing for

board of directors and for grants.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Sections 302 and 304 of the act of June 30, 1987

(P.L.163, No.16), known as the Rural Pennsylvania Revitalization

Act, are amended to read:

Section 302.  Board of directors.

(a)  Members.--The Center for Rural Pennsylvania shall be

governed by a board of directors which shall consist of 11

members. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall

appoint two members from the House of Representatives, one from

the majority party and one from the minority party. The

President pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint two members

from the Senate, one from the majority party and one from the

minority party. Two members shall be representatives of

universities in the State System of Higher Education. One member

shall be from The Pennsylvania State University. One member

shall be from the University of Pittsburgh. One member shall be

the Director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural

Development. The Governor shall appoint two members from among

the memberships of the following Statewide organizations:

Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, Pennsylvania Grange

Association[, Pennsylvania Farmers' Association and Pennsylvania

Rural Coalition] and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

(b)  Terms.--The term of office of all members of the board

shall be two years. Each member shall be eligible to be

reappointed to the board.

(c)  Meetings; quorum.--The board shall meet at least every

four months, or as often as it deems necessary. [Six members] A

simple majority of the duly qualified members of the board shall

constitute a quorum.

(d)  Expenses.--The members of the board, except for the

director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, shall serve

without salary or compensation, but shall be entitled to such

expenses as are reasonable and necessary to the performance of

their duties.

Section 304.  Grants.

(a)  Eligibility.--Grants shall be available only to the

qualified faculty members of the various colleges and university

members of the State System of Higher Education and the current

land grant university and the regional campuses of the

University of Pittsburgh.

(b)  Amounts.--No grant shall exceed the sum of [$50,000] 

$60,000.

(c)  Subjects.--The subject areas of the grant program are as

follows:

(1)  Rural people and communities.

(2)  Economic development.

(3)  Local government finance and administration.

(4)  Community services.

(5)  Natural resources and environment.

(6)  Educational outreach.

(7)  Rural values and social change.

(8)  Agriculture.

(9)  Health and welfare concerns.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.