H2390B3604A11709     DMS:CDM  06/12/12     #90        A11709

AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 2390

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS

Printer's No. 3604

Amend Bill, page 1, line 7, by striking out ", for wages and"

and inserting

 and for wages; establishing an injured taxicab driver

relief fund; and further providing

Amend Bill, page 3, by inserting between lines 2 and 3

"Natural gas powered."  A vehicle powered by natural gas

using compressed natural gas or by liquid natural gas.

Amend Bill, page 5, by inserting between lines 6 and 7

Section 3.  Title 53 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 5710.  Use of natural gas powered vehicles.

(a)  General rule.--On an annual basis, the authority shall

use 25% of the proceeds of the annual auction of medallions

authorized under section 5711 (relating to power of authority to

issue certificates of public convenience) for a grant or low

interest loan program to increase the number of natural gas

refueling stations for natural gas powered wheelchair-accessible

taxicabs in cities of the first class.

(b)  Intergovernmental cooperation.--The authority shall

coordinate with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, the

Department of Environmental Protection and each city of the

first class in the development of the program priorities, the

application process and the process and manner by which grants

and loans shall be made in order to increase the number of

natural gas refueling stations for natural gas powered

wheelchair-accessible taxicabs in cities of the first class.

(c)  Natural gas refueling stations.--Any person or entity

receiving a grant or loan under this section shall agree to make

natural gas refueling stations available to the general public.

(d)  Public participation.--The authority shall publish the

proposed details of the grant or low interest loan program in

the Pennsylvania Bulletin and shall take public comments.

Amend Bill, page 5, line 9, by striking out "3" and inserting

 4

Amend Bill, page 5, line 10, by striking out ", 5720(a) and

(b), 5725(a) and 5745(a)" and inserting

 and 5720(a) and (b)

Amend Bill, page 6, line 13, by striking out "maximum"

Amend Bill, page 6, lines 15 through 21, by striking out ".

The authority, in its " in line 15 and all of lines 16 through

21 and inserting

, which must be natural gas powered wheelchair-accessible

taxicab service.

Amend Bill, page 12, line 13, by striking out "may" and

inserting

 shall

Amend Bill, page 12, line 13, by inserting after "to"

natural gas powered 

Amend Bill, page 12, line 15, by inserting after "(2)"

Natural gas powered 

Amend Bill, page 12, line 16, by inserting after "to" where

it occurs the second time

natural gas powered 

Amend Bill, page 13, by inserting between lines 11 and 12

Section 5.  Title 53 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 5721.1.  Injured taxicab driver relief fund.

(a)  Establishment and deposit.--At least 25% of the total

proceeds of the annual auction of taxicab medallions issued

after the effective date of this section shall be deposited by

the authority into a dedicated account, which shall be known as

the injured taxicab driver relief fund, within 30 days of the

auction.

(b)  Administration.--

(1)  The fund shall be administered by a nonprofit

corporation with at least ten years of experience in

providing services to the disabled within the geographical

area under the jurisdiction of the authority.

(2)  The authority shall choose an eligible nonprofit

corporation to review and make determinations on applications

for assistance from the fund.

(3)  A standard application for assistance form shall be

developed by the nonprofit corporation and used by it in

soliciting requests for relief funds under this section.

(c)  Advisory board.--An advisory board comprised of members

of organizations that represent the interests of taxicab drivers

and individual taxicab owners or drivers shall be established by

the authority to assist the nonprofit organization in

administering the fund established under this section. The

advisory board shall hold regular meetings. The executive

director of the authority or a designee shall be a member of the

advisory board.

(d)  Review of applications.--  In reviewing requests for

assistance from the fund, the nonprofit organization shall take

into consideration all other sources of income or assistance

available to the applicant and the applicant's household

members. Priority consideration for assistance shall be given

based on the severity of injury or disability of the applicant.

(e)  Fees.--The authority may establish and collect a nominal

fee from each taxicab driver who applies for assistance under

this section as a condition of eligibility for assistance.

(f)  Limitation of administrative costs.--No more than 10% of

the fund may be expended by the nonprofit organization to

administer the fund.

(g)  Financial report.--

(1)  The nonprofit corporation selected to administer the

fund shall provide to the authority a financial report

detailing all monies received and all expenditures of the

fund for the year being reported.

(2)  The nonprofit corporation shall submit to the

authority on an annual basis the results of an independent

audit of the fund as conducted by an outside certified public

accountant.

Section 6.  Sections 5725(a) and 5745(a) of Title 53 are

amended to read:

Amend Bill, page 14, line 26, by striking out "4" and

inserting

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