PRINTER'S NO. 2153
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1628
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY STURLA, HILL-EVANS, SNYDER, SCHLOSSBERG, KULIK,
OTTEN, SAINATO, BURNS, STRUZZI, FREEMAN, HOWARD, CIRESI,
DALEY AND PASHINSKI, JUNE 17, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 17, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in grants to fire companies and
emergency medical services companies, further providing for
definitions, for establishment of Fire Company Grant Program
and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program, for publication
and notice, for award of grants, for consolidation incentive,
for Fire Company Grant Program, for Emergency Medical
Services Grant Program, for allocation of appropriated funds
and for expiration of authority.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The definition of "agency" in section 7802 of
Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is repealed:
§ 7802. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
["Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.]
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Section 2. Sections 7811, 7812, 7813(a), (b), and (c), 7814,
7821, 7822, 7823(a) and (c), 7831, 7832, 7833 and 7841 of Title
35 are amended to read:
§ 7811. Establishment.
The Fire Company Grant Program is established and shall be
administered by the [agency in consultation with the]
commissioner. Grants provided under this program shall be used
to improve and enhance the capabilities of the fire company to
provide firefighting, ambulance and rescue services.
§ 7812. Publication and notice.
The [agency shall publish] commissioner shall transmit notice
of the grant program availability [through] to the Legislative
Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin:
(1) within 30 days of June 28, 2007, for the fiscal
years beginning July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007; and
(2) by August 8 for fiscal years beginning after June
30, 2008.
§ 7813. Award of grants.
(a) Authorization.--The [agency] commissioner is authorized
to make a grant award to each eligible fire company for the
following:
(1) Construction and renovation of the fire company's
facility and purchase or repair of fixtures and furnishings
necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the
company to provide fire, ambulance and rescue services.
(2) Repair of firefighting, ambulance or rescue
equipment or purchase thereof.
(3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) Training and certification of members.
(5) Training and education of the general public
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regarding fire prevention.
(6) Recruitment and retention.
* * *
(b) Limits.--
(1) Except as provided in [paragraph] paragraphs (1.1)
and (3), grants shall be not less than $2,500 and not more
than $15,000 per fire company.
(1.1) Grants shall be awarded to paid municipal fire
companies based on the population, under the most recent
Federal decennial census, of the municipality in which the
fire company is located as follows:
Population Maximum Grant
Up to 20,000 $25,000
From 20,001 to 40,000 $50,000
From 40,001 to 60,000 $75,000
From 60,001 to 80,000 $100,000
From 80,001 to 100,000 $125,000
From 100,001 to 200,000 $150,000
From 200,001 to 900,000 $400,000
Over 900,000 $1,500,000
(2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
total dollar amount of the approved application exceeds the
amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this
purpose.
(3) In a municipality where there are two or more
volunteer fire companies and if two or more volunteer fire
companies consolidated their use of equipment, firefighters
and services within 10 years preceding the date of the
current year application submission deadline, the
consolidated entity shall be deemed eligible to receive a
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grant not to exceed the amount of the combined total for
which the individual companies would have been eligible had
they not consolidated.
(c) Time for filing application and department action.--
(1) Within 30 days of June 28, 2007, for the fiscal
years beginning July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, and by
September 1 of each year thereafter, the [agency]
commissioner shall provide written instructions for grants
under this chapter to:
(i) except as set forth in subparagraph (ii), the
fire chief and president of every fire company; or
(ii) in the case of a municipal fire company, the
chief executive of the municipality.
(2) Within 45 days of June 28, 2007, for the fiscal
years beginning July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, and by
September 8 of each year thereafter, the [agency]
commissioner shall provide applications to individuals
specified in paragraph (1). The application for the fiscal
years commencing July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, shall be a
combined application. Fire companies seeking grants under
this chapter shall submit completed applications to the
[agency] commissioner. The application period shall remain
open for 45 days each year. The [agency] commissioner shall
act to approve or disapprove applications within 60 days of
the application submission deadline each year. Applications
which have not been approved or disapproved by the [agency]
commissioner within 60 days after the close of the
application period each year shall be deemed approved.
* * *
§ 7814. Consolidation incentive.
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If, after July 31, 2003, two or more volunteer fire companies
consolidate their use of facilities, equipment, firefighters and
services, the consolidated entity may, upon notification of the
[agency] commissioner, be eligible for a reduction of the
interest rate payable on any outstanding principal balance owed,
as of the date of consolidation, by any or all of the
consolidating companies to the Volunteer Companies Loan Fund for
loans made under the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036, No.208),
known as the Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service and
Rescue Squad Assistance Act, or under Subchapter E of Chapter 73
(relating to volunteer fire company, ambulance service and
rescue squad assistance). The reduction in the interest rate
payable shall be from 2% to 1%. Upon receipt of such
notification, the [agency, in conjunction with the State Fire
Commissioner,] commissioner shall determine and verify that the
consolidated entity is in fact a bona fide consolidated
volunteer fire company. If the [agency] commissioner determines
that the consolidated entity is a bona fide consolidated
volunteer fire company, it shall reduce the interest rate
payable on any outstanding principal balance owed to the
Volunteer Companies Loan Fund for loans made under the former
Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service and Rescue Squad
Assistance Act, or under Subchapter E of Chapter 73, for which
the consolidating companies or the consolidated entity may be
individually or jointly responsible. The [agency] commissioner
may promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to
carry out the provisions of this section.
§ 7821. Establishment.
The Emergency Medical Services Grant Program is established
and shall be administered by the [agency] commissioner. Grants
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provided under this program shall be used to improve and enhance
the capabilities of EMS companies to provide ambulance,
emergency medical, basic life support and advanced life support
services.
§ 7822. Publication and notice.
The [agency shall publish] commissioner shall transmit notice
of the grant program availability [through] to the Legislative
Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin:
(1) within 30 days of June 28, 2007, for the fiscal
years beginning July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007; and
(2) by August 8 for fiscal years beginning after June
30, 2008.
§ 7823. Award of grants.
(a) Authorization.--The [agency] commissioner is authorized
to make a grant award to each eligible EMS company for the
following:
(1) Construction and renovation of the EMS company's
facility and purchase or repair of fixtures, furnishings,
office equipment and support services necessary to maintain
or improve the capability of the ambulance service to provide
ambulance, emergency medical, basic life support and advanced
life support services.
(2) Repair of ambulance equipment or purchase thereof.
(3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) Training and certification of members.
(5) Recruitment and retention.
* * *
(c) Time for filing application and department action.--
(1) Within 30 days of June 28, 2007, for the fiscal
years commencing July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, and by
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September 1 of each year thereafter, the [agency]
commissioner shall provide written instructions for grants
under this chapter to the president of every EMS company in
this Commonwealth.
(2) Within 45 days of the effective date of June 28,
2007, for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2006, and July
1, 2007, and by September 8 of each year, the [agency]
commissioner shall provide applications to the president of
every EMS company. The application for the fiscal years
commencing July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, shall be a
combined application. EMS companies seeking grants under this
chapter shall submit completed applications to the [agency]
commissioner. The application period shall remain open for 45
days each year. The [agency] commissioner shall act to
approve or disapprove applications within 60 days of the
application submission deadline each year. Applications which
have not been approved or disapproved by the [agency]
commissioner within 60 days after the close of the
application period each year shall be deemed approved.
§ 7831. Fire Company Grant Program.
The sum of [$22,000,000] $27,000,000 of the amount
appropriated to the [agency] commissioner for fire company
grants under section 1799-E of the act of April 9, 1929
(P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, shall be expended
for the purpose of making grants to eligible fire companies
under Subchapter B (relating to fire company grant program).
§ 7832. Emergency Medical Services [Company] Grant Program.
The sum of [$3,000,000] $6,750,000 of the amount appropriated
to the [agency] commissioner for EMS company grants under
section 1799-E of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176),
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known as The Fiscal Code, shall be expended for the purpose of
making grants to eligible EMS companies under Subchapter C
(relating to emergency medical services grant program).
§ 7833. Allocation of appropriated funds.
(a) Administration.--
(1) Except as provided under paragraph (2), no money
from the appropriation for grants shall be used for expenses
or costs incurred by the [agency] commissioner for the
administration of the grant programs authorized under
Subchapters B (relating to fire company grant program) and C
(relating to emergency medical services grant program).
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the commissioner may
use not more than [$800,000] $1,000,000 of any unencumbered
funds remaining in the fund for administrative costs for
grant program implementation under this chapter.
(b) Grant allocation.--Unless otherwise expressly stated,
money appropriated to the [agency] commissioner for purposes of
company grants shall be allocated as follows:
(1) [Eighty-eight] The sum of $200,000 from the amount
appropriated shall be expended for a single-point location in
the office of the commissioner for firefighter and emergency
medical services provider recruitment and retention.
(1.1) Eighty percent of the amount appropriated
remaining after the expenditure under paragraph (1) shall be
used for making grants to eligible fire companies under
Subchapter B.
(2) [Twelve] Twenty percent of the amount appropriated
remaining after the expenditure under paragraph (1) shall be
used for making grants to eligible EMS companies under
Subchapter C.
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§ 7841. Expiration of authority.
The authority of the [agency] commissioner to award grants
under Subchapters B (relating to fire company grant program) and
C (relating to emergency medical services grant program) shall
expire June 30, [2020] 2024.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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