PRINTER'S NO. 1085
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
933
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, LAUGHLIN, ROBINSON AND STEFANO,
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023
AN ACT
Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in Department of Military Affairs,
further providing for advisory councils for veterans' homes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 704(a), (b), (d) and (f) of Title 51 of
the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended and the
section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
§ 704. Advisory councils for veterans' homes.
(a) Establishment of advisory council.--There is hereby
established an advisory council for each veterans' home operated
by the Commonwealth to provide stakeholders with a means to
advise the Adjutant General on the resident care, management,
operations and compliance of facilities and services in
veterans' homes to ensure high-quality health care and well-
being for residents of veterans' homes. Each advisory council
shall consist of 15 members and the Adjutant General or the
Adjutant General's designee, who shall serve ex officio. The
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following shall apply:
(1) [Twelve] Thirteen of the members shall be appointed
by the Governor from a list of nominations submitted to the
Adjutant General [by the Pennsylvania War Veterans' Council.]
in accordance with the following:
(i) Ten of the members shall be from a list of
nominations submitted by veterans from the local
community of the veterans' home.
(ii) Two of the members shall be from a list of
nominations submitted by the current residents of the
veterans' home.
(iii) One of the members shall be from a list of
nominations submitted by a family member of a resident of
the veterans' home or a current or former resident of the
veterans' home.
(2) The Adjutant General shall ensure that each nominee
for appointment on each advisory council under paragraph (1)
is a member of the local community of the veterans' home.
(3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
President pro tempore of the Senate shall each appoint one
member from their respective bodies to serve on each council.
[The remaining member on the advisory council shall be
selected by the residents of the veterans' homes.]
(4) The department shall designate a subject matter
expert to attend each advisory council's meeting to provide
input on the resident care, management, operations and
compliance of facilities and services in each veterans' home.
(b) Term of office and officers.--
(1) Each member of the councils appointed from the
General Assembly shall serve for the duration of that General
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Assembly. [The eight] Except as provided under paragraph (2),
the thirteen members appointed by the Governor shall serve a
term of three [years, provided that the initial eight members
selected by the Governor shall serve as follows: three
members for one year, three members for two years and two
members for three years as designated by the Governor.]
years.
(2) The initial thirteen members selected by the
Governor on or after the effective date of this paragraph
shall serve as follows: four members for one year, four
members for two years and five members for three years as
designated by the Governor.
(3) Each council shall organize as soon as possible and
shall annually elect a president, vice president and
secretary from the voting members.
* * *
(d) Quorum and time of meetings.--[Six] Eight members of a
council shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting
the business of the council. Each advisory council shall meet at
least quarterly and at other times at the call of the president.
Each advisory council shall conduct meetings in accordance with
65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
* * *
(f) Power and duty of advisory councils.--Each veterans'
home advisory council shall advise the Adjutant General as to
the resident care, management, operation and the [adequacy]
compliance of facilities and services at their respective homes.
(g) Annual reports.--Each advisory council shall submit an
annual report to the department that identifies the work of the
advisory council, includes an overall assessment of the resident
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care, manag ement, operations and compliance of facilities and
services in each veterans' home and provides recommendations.
The department shall submit a consolidated report on the annual
reports submitted by each advisory council under this subsection
t o the Adjutant General and the chair and minority chair of the
Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the
Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Veterans Affairs
and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of
Representatives no later than January 30, 2024, and each year
thereafter.
Section 2. The amendment or addition of 51 Pa.C.S. § 704(a)
(1) and (2) and (b)(1) and (2) shall apply upon the expiration
of a member's term on the advisory council appointed by the
Governor before the effective date of this section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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