PRINTER'S NO. 2471
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1938
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY HOHENSTEIN, KHAN, KAZEEM, McANDREW, PROBST,
CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, GUENST, HILL-EVANS, HADDOCK AND SCHLOSSBERG,
JANUARY 2, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, JANUARY 2, 2024
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), entitled "An
act creating the Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources consisting of certain functions of the Department
of Environmental Resources and the Department of Community
Affairs; renaming the Department of Environmental Resources
as the Department of Environmental Protection; defining the
role of the Environmental Quality Board in the Department of
Environmental Protection; making changes to responsibilities
of the State Conservation Commission and the Department of
Agriculture; transferring certain powers and duties to the
Department of Health; and repealing inconsistent acts,"
providing for recreational services for individuals with
disabilities.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known
as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, is amended by
adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 7
RECREATIONAL SERVICES FOR
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Section 701. Scope of chapter.
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This chapter relates to recreational services for individuals
with disabilities.
Section 702. Declaration of purpose.
The General Assembly finds and declares that it is the public
policy of the Commonwealth to encourage and support the
promotion, planning, development, implementation and maintenance
of comprehensive recreational services by municipalities for
individuals with disabilities in this Commonwealth.
Section 703. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Individual with a disability." An individual who has an
intellectual disability or who has a visual impairment, an
auditory impairment, a communication impairment, a neurological
or perceptual impairment, an orthopedic impairment, a chronic
illness, an emotional disturbance, a social impairment, multiple
disabilities or a developmental disability.
"Participating municipality." A municipality that
participates in the program.
"Program." The comprehensive program for individuals with
disabilities developed under section 704.
Section 704. Comprehensive program for individuals with
disabilities.
The department shall, after consultation with an expert in
the area of recreational services and the Department of Human
Services, develop a comprehensive program for the provision of
recreational services by municipalities for individuals with
disabilities. The department shall promulgate regulations as
necessary to implement the program.
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Section 705. Application for participation in program.
A municipality may submit an application to the department to
participate in the program in a form and manner determined by
the department, including a municipality seeking to contract
with a private, nonprofit organization for the provision of
recreational services for individuals with disabilities.
Section 706. Reimbursement to participating municipalities.
Upon the approval of a municipality's application by the
department under section 705, the department shall reimburse the
participating municipality for an amount not to exceed $5 for
each $1 appropriated by the participating municipality for the
provision of recreational services for individuals with
disabilities.
Section 707. Special program events for individuals with
disabilities.
The department shall prepare a list of appropriate special
program events for individuals with disabilities, including the
Special Olympics and the Tournament of Champions or an
equivalent event, and make the list available to a participating
municipality.
Section 708. Application to operate special program events.
A participating municipality may submit an application to the
department for a grant to operate a special program event in a
form and manner determined by the department.
Section 709. Grants to participating municipalities.
Upon the approval of a participating municipality's
application by the department under section 708, the department
shall provide a grant to the participating municipality to
provide training, transportation and supervision for individuals
with disabilities engaging in the special program event. In the
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case of a participating municipality that is a city, borough,
incorporated town or township, the amount of a grant awarded
annually under this section to the participating municipality
shall not exceed $1,000. In the case of a participating
municipality that is a county , the amount of a grant awarded
annually under this section to the participating municipality
shall not exceed $2,500. The total aggregate amount of grants
awarded annually under this section shall not exceed $25,000.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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