Regular Session 2019-2020 House Bill 1830 P.N. 2501

PRINTER'S NO. 2501

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1830

Session of

2019

INTRODUCED BY FEE, RYAN, PICKETT, GREINER, JAMES, CAUSER,

BERNSTINE, B. MILLER, IRVIN, MILLARD, MENTZER, ZIMMERMAN,

GROVE AND NEILSON, SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

AN ACT

Repealing the act of July 1, 1978 (P.L.584, No.109), entitled

"An act establishing an agency to create the linkage

necessary for the planning of an economic development system

for Pennsylvania, and making an appropriation."

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of July 1, 1978 (P.L.584, No.109), known

as the Milrite Act, is repealed:

[AN ACT

Establishing an agency to create the linkage necessary for the

planning of an economic development system for Pennsylvania,

and making an appropriation.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Milrite

Act."

Section 2. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the

meanings given to them in this section:

"Area labor management committee." An organization formed by

and composed of multiple employers of diverse industries and

multiple labor organizations, as defined in section 2(5) of the

National Labor Relations Act (49 Stat. 449, 29 U.S.C. § 151 et

seq.), operating within or focusing upon city, county or

contiguous multicounty jurisdictions for the purposes of:

(1) Improving communications between labor and

management.

(2) Providing a forum to discuss and investigate ways to

further the goals of increased quality of work life and

increased productivity.

(3) Discovering ways to improve organizational

effectiveness.

(4) Finding solutions to problems of mutual concern to

both labor and management not susceptible to resolution

within the collective bargaining structure.

(5) Enhancing economic development within the

jurisdiction through labor management cooperation.

"Council." The milrite agency established by this act.

"Milrite." The acronym formed from the words: "Make Industry

and Labor Right in Today's Economy."

Section 3. Legislative purpose.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has served as the keystone

in establishing and advancing basic industrial manufacturing in

the United States. Today it faces a loss of confidence among key

segments of the general public, business and labor communities.

It now faces the loss of critical industries and a willing, able

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and well qualified work force. The development and stability of

Pennsylvania's economy is a legitimate public purpose. The

Commonwealth cannot remain healthy, socially or economically,

when its industrial might and natural resources are

underdeveloped and when its people are chronically unemployed or

underemployed. There is need for an organization evolving

cooperative innovative economic stimuli from the public, private

and labor sectors. It should combine the expertise and influence

of labor and business with governmental policy makers to act as

a catalytic force to create a comprehensive economic development

plan and program for implementation of specific development

objectives.

Aware of the economic and sociological consequences of

industrial dislocation the General Assembly calls upon business

and labor by enacting an independent labor, business and

governmental council to act as a catalytic agent to reduce the

fragmentation of our resources and to establish the linkages

necessary for a successful planning and economic development

delivery system. It shall have the capability to create strategy

and implementing machinery to maintain Pennsylvania as a leading

industrial State.

Section 4. Creation of council.

There is hereby created a quasi-public, independent, economic

development agency to be known as the Milrite Council.

Section 5. Appointment of members, terms, qualifications and

removal.

(a) The council shall consist of 15 members appointed by the

Governor. They shall include one member selected by the

Governor, two members selected by the President pro tempore of

the Senate, two members selected by the Speaker of the House of

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Representatives, and five members each from lists provided by

the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and the Pennsylvania Chamber of

Commerce. The two members selected for appointment by the

President pro tempore of the Senate and the two members selected

for appointment by the Speaker of the House of Representatives

shall be members of the majority and minority parties in each

body.

(b) The member selected by the Governor, two members

selected by the General Assembly, and two members each from the

lists submitted by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and Pennsylvania

Chamber of Commerce, shall serve for three years, and three

members selected from the lists submitted by the Pennsylvania

AFL-CIO and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce shall serve for

six years and two members selected by the General Assembly shall

serve for six years. Thereafter all members shall be appointed

for a term of six years or until a successor is appointed and

qualified. Members shall be eligible for unlimited

reappointment.

outstanding leaders in business, and labor who are the policy-

making and policy-implementing executives of their respective

unions and companies.

(d) Members of the council shall receive no compensation but

shall be entitled to receive an allowance for expenses incurred

in the performance of their duties.

(e) The council shall elect one of the nongovernmental

members as chairman, who, when present, shall preside at

meetings. The council shall also elect one of its members to

serve as an alternate chairman to preside when the regular

chairman is absent. The chairman and vice chairman shall be

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elected by the council members for a three-year term. Candidates

shall be limited to members representing the labor and business

groups. The chairmanship shall be occupied by a member

representing one group and the vice chairmanship occupied by a

member representing the other group. The council shall designate

the officials, committees and subcommittees it deems necessary

to carry out the intent of this act.

(f) An action or order of the council shall require eight

affirmative votes.

Section 6. Powers and duties of council.

(1) Undertake research and investigation relating to the

promotion of the industrial potential of Pennsylvania.

(2) Create plans for economic revitalization of

Commonwealth industries.

(3) Recommend implementation procedures for all plans,

maximizing existing mechanisms with proven ability to

accomplish tasks, linkages among current programs, business,

labor and government insights into practicality and

workability of suggested approaches.

(4) Encourage and stimulate cooperation and coordination

among Federal, State and local programs.

(5) Recommend structural changes and updating of

economic delivery tools of State Government to the Governor

and General Assembly.

(6) Draw upon labor, management and government

participants to promulgate plans and implement procedures.

(7) Recommend organizational structure and participants

particularly suited to local needs and conditions.

(8) Undertake research, including the hiring of

consultants, into the cost of doing business in this

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Commonwealth, including recommendations for changes and

estimates of future costs, with comparative analysis of both

intrastate and interstate costs.

(9) Undertake research, including the hiring of

consultants, to determine if the Commonwealth can more

effectively use its mediation services to discourage and

shorten the duration of labor management disputes.

(10) The council shall have the power to:

(i) Enter into contracts.

(ii) Appoint, fix compensation of, and prescribe

duties of an executive director, secretary and such other

personnel as the council deems necessary to accomplish

the purposes of this act.

(iii) Retain counsel.

(iv) Accept grants from public and private sources.

(v) Borrow money and issue obligations, secured or

unsecured, to acquire, hold, own and pledge or dispose of

funds, money, securities and other property, real or

personal, tangible or intangible to the extent necessary

to carry out the purposes of this act.

(vi) Adopt and promulgate rules and regulations

necessary to accomplish the provisions of this act.

Agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide their full

cooperation to research conducted by the council, including, but

not limited to, the provision of information necessary for

conducting research under paragraphs (8) and (9).

Section 6.1. Area labor management committees.

(a) The council shall establish standards and criteria for

the selection of area labor management committees to be assisted

by grants under subsection (c), solicit proposals from area

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labor management committees, review and evaluate the relative

merits of such proposals and select those proposals for funding

which would best meet the standards and criteria established by

the council.

(b) The council may use a reasonable amount of any

appropriation for grants to area labor management committees to

hire staff and provide support for area labor management

committees and for carrying out the purposes specified in

subsection (a). Funds shall be used for staff and other expenses

necessary to perform outreach functions to those areas of the

Commonwealth not served by area labor management committees.

committees which are entitled to receive grants pursuant to

subsection (a). Funds appropriated to the Milrite Council for

grants to area labor management committees shall be made to

those committees, in amounts and under conditions specified by

the council, and under the following conditions:

(1) The grant shall be matched with as much non-State

funds as possible, within the overall goal of attempting to

establish and maintain as many area labor management

committees as possible.

(2) While the highest priority for these funds shall be

for the establishment of new area labor management

committees, the council shall make use of the money available

to it for the grants to ensure the continued existence and

expansion of existing area labor management committees,

including the provisions of technical assistance and

nonmatching grants.

(d) The council shall report annually to the chairman and

minority chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the

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chairman and minority chairman of the House Committee on

Appropriations, the chairman and minority chairman of the Senate

Committee on Labor and Industry and the chairman and minority

chairman of the House Committee on Labor Relations, the

accomplishments and specific expenditures of each area labor

management committee funded under subsections (a) and (c)

including, but not limited to, salaries, rent, contracts and

other operational costs.

Section 7. Limited duration.

The council shall continue with its statutory function and

duties until December 31, 1994, when it shall terminate and go

out of existence unless reestablished or continued by the

General Assembly. Evaluation, review, termination,

reestablishment and continuation of the agency shall be

conducted pursuant to the provisions of the act of December 22,

1981 (P.L.508, No.142), known as the "Sunset Act."

Section 8. Appropriation.

The sum of $200,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,

is specifically appropriated to the council for the fiscal year

July 1, 1978 to June 30, 1979 for the purpose of carrying out

the provisions of this act.

Section 9. Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.]

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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