PRINTER'S NO. 1761
No. 1506 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY WENGER, BITTLE, FEE, CAPPABIANCA, MADIGAN,
PETERSON, D. R. WRIGHT, THOMAS, W. W. FOSTER, SCHEAFFER,
ARMSTRONG, YAHNER, BRUNNER, LIVENGOOD, STAIRS, WILT, BRANDT
AND WASS, JUNE 14, 1979
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSERVATION, JUNE 15, 1979
AN ACT
1 Authorizing the Secretary of Environmental Resources to
2 establish a Volunteers in State Parks and Forests Program and
3 for other purposes.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. The Secretary of Environmental Resources,
7 hereinafter referred to as the secretary, is authorized to
8 recruit, train and accept without regard to the civil service
9 classification laws, rules or regulations, the services of
10 individuals without compensation as volunteers for or in aid of
11 interpretive functions, visitor services, conservation measures
12 and development or other activities in and related to State park
13 and forest areas administered by the secretary through the
14 Bureau of State Parks and Bureau of Forestry.
15 Section 2. The secretary is authorized to provide for
16 incidental expenses, such as transportation, uniforms, lodging
17 and subsistence.
1 Section 3. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this
2 section, a volunteer shall not be deemed to be a Commonwealth
3 employee and shall not be subject to the provisions of law
4 relating to Commonwealth employment, including those relating to
5 hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment
6 compensation and Commonwealth employee benefits.
7 (b) Volunteers performing work under the terms of this act
8 shall be authorized to operate Commonwealth vehicles and shall
9 be treated for the purposes of automotive and general liability
10 as employees of the Commonwealth.
11 (c) For the purposes of the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736,
12 No.338), known as "The Pennsylvania Workmen's Compensation Act,"
13 as amended, relating to compensation to employees for work
14 injuries, volunteers under the provisions of this act shall be
15 deemed employees of the Commonwealth within the meaning of the
16 term "employe" as defined in section 104 of said act and the
17 provisions of that law shall apply.
18 Section 4. The Department of Environmental Resources shall
19 have the power and authority to do all things necessary and
20 expedient to establish and operate a Volunteers in State Parks
21 and Forests Program and to promulgate rules and regulations
22 under this act.
23 Section 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
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