PRINTER'S NO. 1575
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1456
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY OWLETT, PICKETT, HAMM, SNYDER, CAUSER, RYAN,
OBERLANDER, TOPPER, HERSHEY, IRVIN, RAPP, MILLARD, JAMES,
STRUZZI AND SMITH, MAY 20, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MAY 20, 2021
AN ACT
Providing for the reopening of travel sites operated by the
Department of Transportation.
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 Rural Access
to PennDOT Services Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Transportation of the
Commonwealth.
"Department services." Any of the following services
provided by the department and department employees to the
public which are within the department's authority under 75
Pa.C.S. (relating to vehicles):
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(1) The processing of department forms, applications and
other documents.
(2) The taking of photographs.
(3) The administration of tests.
(4) The issuance of licenses, registrations, permits and
other authorizations.
"Governor's proclamation of disaster emergency." The
Governor's proclamation of disaster emergency issued on March 6,
2020, published at 50 Pa.B. 1644 (March 21, 2020), and any
renewal of the state of disaster emergency, related to the novel
coronavirus identified as COVID-19.
"Travel site." A facility operated by the department that
provided in-person department services and was open to the
public three or fewer days during the week and was regularly
open to the public during the month of February 2020.
Section 3. Reopening of travel sites.
The department shall, by the effective date of this section,
reopen all travel sites to the public that were closed due to
the Governor's proclamation of disaster emergency, subject to
the following:
(1) Each travel site shall be open to the public for in-
person department services no less than the same number of
days during the week that the travel site was open to the
public for in-person department services prior to the
Governor's proclamation of disaster emergency.
(2) Each travel site shall be open to the public for in-
person department services no less than the same number of
hours on each day that the travel site was open to the public
for in-person department services prior to the Governor's
proclamation of disaster emergency.
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(3) The department shall, at each travel site, provide
the same in-person department services to the public that
were provided at the travel site prior to the Governor's
proclamation of disaster emergency.
(4) The department shall, at each travel site, provide
the in-person department services required under paragraph
(3) during all times when the travel site is required to be
open to the public under paragraphs (1) and (2).
Section 4. Construction.
Nothing in this act shall be construed to:
(1) Prevent the department, at each travel site reopened
to the public under section 3, from offering additional in-
person department services, operating days or operating hours
to the public that exceed the minimum requirements in section
3.
(2) Require the department to provide in-person
department services at a travel site reopened to the public
under section 3 that were not regularly offered to the public
at the travel site prior to the Governor's proclamation of
disaster emergency.
(3) Prevent the department from complying with the
provisions of this act prior to the expiration or termination
of the Governor's proclamation of disaster emergency.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 14 days.
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