PRINTER'S NO. 1610
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1224
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY HANNA, COHEN, MURT, THOMAS, ROZZI, MILLARD,
McNEILL AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 18, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY,
MAY 18, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798, No.591), entitled
"An act providing a fixed charge, payable by the
Commonwealth, on lands acquired by the State and the Federal
Government for forest reserves, or for the purpose of
preserving and perpetuating a portion of the original forests
of Pennsylvania, and preserving and maintaining the same as
public places and parks; and the distribution of the same for
county, school, township, and road purposes in the counties,
school districts, and townships where such forests are
located; and making an appropriation," increasing annual
charge.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of the act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798,
No.591), referred to as the Forest Reserves Municipal Financial
Relief Law, amended July 7, 2006 (P.L.722, No.102), is amended
to read:
Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That (a) from and after the
passage of this act, all lands heretofore or hereafter acquired
by the Commonwealth, or by the Government of the United States,
for forest reserves or for the purpose of preserving and
perpetuating any portion of the original forests of Pennsylvania
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and preserving and maintaining the same as public places and
parks, and which, by existing laws, are now exempt from
taxation, and all lands and property heretofore or hereafter
acquired for the purpose of conservation of water, or to prevent
flood conditions, upon which a tax is imposed by existing laws
payable by the Commonwealth, shall hereafter be subject to an
annual charge of [forty cents] one dollar and sixty cents per
acre plus eighty cents per acre as a supplement for the benefit
of the county in which said lands are located, [forty cents] one
dollar and sixty cents per acre plus eighty cents per acre as a
supplement for the benefit of the schools in the respective
school districts in which such lands are located, and [forty
cents] one dollar and sixty cents per acre plus eighty cents per
acre as a supplement for the benefit of the township where such
lands are located, which charge shall be payable by the
Commonwealth, subject to the availability of funds pursuant to
section 2(b)(2). (b) Except as hereinafter provided, the annual
charge payable by the Commonwealth on land acquired by the
Government of the United States for forest reserves is to
continue only until the receipts of money by treasurers and
township supervisors of the said counties and school districts
and townships in which national forest reserves are located,
provided for in act of April twenty-seventh, one thousand nine
hundred twenty-five, Pamphlet Laws, three hundred twenty-four,
shall equal or exceed the amount paid by the Commonwealth in
lieu of taxes. This subsection shall not apply to the annual
charge per acre for the benefit of the county in which the land
acquired by the Government of the United States for forest
reserves is located for the years one thousand nine hundred
fifty-three, one thousand nine hundred fifty-four, one thousand
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nine hundred fifty-five, one thousand nine hundred fifty-six,
and this subsection shall not apply to two and one-half cents of
the annual charge per acre for the benefit of the county in
which the land acquired by the Government of the United States
for forest reserves is located for any year thereafter. The
charges for the benefit of the county for these years shall be
paid by the Commonwealth. All charges payable by the
Commonwealth under the provisions of this act shall be paid on
or before the first day of September of each year.
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015, or
immediately, whichever is later.
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