PRINTER'S NO. 2621
No. 1995 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY DALEY, RYAN, PERZEL, DeWEESE, BASTIAN, ARMSTRONG,
M. BAKER, BARRAR, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BISHOP, BUXTON,
CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, EACHUS,
D. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE,
GORDNER, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART, HERMAN, JAMES, LAUGHLIN,
LEDERER, LESCOVITZ, MANN, MARKOSEK, MAYERNIK, McCALL,
McGEEHAN, MELIO, MICHLOVIC, PALLONE, PETRONE, READSHAW,
ROBERTS, ROBINSON, ROONEY, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SAMUELSON,
SANTONI, SATHER, SCRIMENTI, SHANER, SOLOBAY, STABACK,
R. STEVENSON, T. STEVENSON, SURRA, TRELLO, TRICH, VEON,
WALKO, WATERS, C. WILLIAMS, J. WILLIAMS, WOJNAROSKI,
M. WRIGHT, YUDICHAK, E. Z. TAYLOR, S. MILLER, CLARK, DAILEY,
THOMAS, WILT, YOUNGBLOOD, BROWNE, FREEMAN, PISTELLA, HORSEY,
SCHULER, COLEMAN, BELFANTI, KENNEY, STEELMAN, SCHRODER,
DeLUCA, BENNINGHOFF, HESS, LUCYK, WANSACZ, WASHINGTON, GABIG,
EGOLF, MARSICO, ALLEN, FLICK, STURLA, ADOLPH, STEIL,
M. COHEN, GRUITZA, DiGIROLAMO AND HABAY, OCTOBER 5, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER 5, 2001
AN ACT
1 Establishing the William Penn Liberty Medal of Honor; providing
2 for awarding of medals, for an advisory board and for design
3 and cost of medals.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Establishment of medal.
7 The William Penn Liberty Medal of Honor is hereby established
8 in commemoration of the idealism and struggle of William Penn in
9 founding the Commonwealth.
10 Section 2. Awarding of medals.
11 (a) General rule.--The William Penn Liberty Medal of Honor
1 may be awarded annually by the Governor to native sons or
2 daughters or residents of this Commonwealth who have
3 distinguished themselves:
4 (1) Through a lifetime of great accomplishment.
5 (2) By an act or acts of great heroism.
6 (3) By a singular, outstanding contribution to this
7 Commonwealth, the United States or the world.
8 The medal may also be awarded to persons not of this
9 Commonwealth who have distinguished themselves as provided in
10 this subsection in this Commonwealth or on behalf of the
11 Commonwealth and its citizens.
12 (b) Roles of Governor, public and advisory board.--
13 (1) Medals may be awarded annually by the Governor,
14 whose decision shall be final.
15 (2) Nominations for the medal may be made by the public
16 to the advisory board, which shall advise the Governor on
17 potential recipients and recommend recipients based on
18 nominations received from the public or on their own
19 knowledge.
20 Section 3. Advisory board.
21 (a) Membership.--The advisory board shall be comprised of
22 the following:
23 (1) The Secretary of State, who shall chair the board.
24 (2) The Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of
25 Representatives.
26 (3) The President pro tempore and Minority Leader of the
27 Senate.
28 (4) Five residents of this Commonwealth selected by the
29 Governor. These residents shall not hold State office or
30 employment and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
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1 (b) Meetings.--Meetings of the board and their
2 recommendations shall be confidential and not available for
3 public inspection.
4 Section 4. Design of medal.
5 The advisory board shall oversee a competition for the design
6 of the medal, which shall conclude no later than six months
7 after enactment of this act.
8 Section 5. Cost of medals.
9 The cost for striking medals shall be borne by private
10 contributions solicited by the Commonwealth and such other funds
11 as the Governor may make available from moneys already
12 appropriated for any purpose.
13 Section 6. Initial medals.
14 Notwithstanding the provisions of section 2(b), the first
15 four medals shall be awarded in the names of Todd Beamer, Mark
16 Bingham, Thomas Burnett and Jeremy Glick in recognition of their
17 profound courage and outstanding heroism in knowingly
18 sacrificing their lives in order to divert United Airlines
19 Flight 93 from its terrorist mission on September 11, 2001. The
20 medals shall be presented to their nearest of kin.
21 Section 7. Effective date.
22 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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