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                                                       PRINTER'S NO. 126

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 90 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY TOMLINSON, RHOADES, FONTANA, KITCHEN, COSTA,
           MUSTO, RAFFERTY, WONDERLING, ERICKSON AND FERLO,
           FEBRUARY 15, 2007

        REFERRED TO FINANCE, FEBRUARY 15, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), entitled "An
     2     act relating to tax reform and State taxation by codifying
     3     and enumerating certain subjects of taxation and imposing
     4     taxes thereon; providing procedures for the payment,
     5     collection, administration and enforcement thereof; providing
     6     for tax credits in certain cases; conferring powers and
     7     imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue, certain
     8     employers, fiduciaries, individuals, persons, corporations
     9     and other entities; prescribing crimes, offenses and
    10     penalties," further providing for charitable contributions by
    11     taxpayers.

    12     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    13  hereby enacts as follows:
    14     Section 1.  Sections 315.2 and 315.3 of the act of March 4,
    15  1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, added
    16  May 7, 1997 (P.L.85, No.7), are amended to read:
    17     Section 315.2.  Contributions to Breast and Cervical Cancer
    18  Research.--(a)  The department shall provide a space on the
    19  Pennsylvania individual income tax return form whereby an
    20  individual may voluntarily designate a contribution of any
    21  amount desired to be utilized for breast and cervical cancer
    22  research in the Department of Health.

     1     (b)  [The] In the case of a refund, the amount so designated
     2  on the individual income tax return form shall be deducted from
     3  the tax refund to which the individual is entitled and shall not
     4  constitute a charge against the income tax revenues due to the
     5  Commonwealth. If there is no refund, the individual may also
     6  designate a contribution if the amount of the contribution is
     7  paid by the individual.
     8     (c)  The department shall determine annually the total amount
     9  designated under this section, less reasonable administrative
    10  costs, and shall report the amount to the State Treasurer who
    11  shall transfer the amount from the General Fund to the
    12  Pennsylvania Cancer Control, Prevention and Research Advisory
    13  Board within the Department of Health.
    14     (d)  The department shall provide adequate information
    15  concerning the checkoff for breast and cervical cancer research
    16  in its instructions which accompany State income tax return
    17  forms. The information concerning the checkoff shall include the
    18  listing of an address furnished by the Department of Health to
    19  which contributions may be sent by taxpayers wishing to
    20  contribute to this effort but who do not receive refunds.
    21  Additionally, the Department of Health shall be charged with the
    22  duty to conduct a public information campaign on the
    23  availability of this opportunity to Pennsylvania taxpayers.
    24     (e)  The Department of Health shall report annually to the
    25  respective committees of the Senate and the House of
    26  Representatives which have jurisdiction over health matters on
    27  the amount received via the checkoff plan and how the funds were
    28  utilized.
    29     (f)  The General Assembly may, from time to time, appropriate
    30  funds for breast and cervical cancer research within the
    20070S0090B0126                  - 2 -     

     1  Department of Health.
     2     Section 315.3.  Contributions for Wild Resource
     3  Conservation.--(a)  The department shall provide a space on the
     4  Pennsylvania individual income tax return form whereby an
     5  individual may voluntarily designate a contribution of any
     6  amount desired to the Wild Resource Conservation Fund
     7  established under section 5 of the act of June 23, 1982
     8  (P.L.597, No.170), known as the "Wild Resource Conservation
     9  Act."
    10     (b)  [The] In the case of a refund, the amount so designated
    11  by an individual on the income tax return form shall be deducted
    12  from the tax refund to which such individual is entitled and
    13  shall not constitute a charge against the income tax revenues
    14  due the Commonwealth. If there is no refund, the individual may
    15  also designate a contribution if the amount of the contribution
    16  is paid by the individual.
    17     (c)  The department shall determine annually the total amount
    18  designated pursuant to this section and shall report such amount
    19  to the State Treasurer who shall transfer such amount from the
    20  General Fund to the Wild Resource Conservation Fund for use as
    21  provided in the "Wild Resource Conservation Act." The department
    22  shall be reimbursed from the fund for any administrative costs
    23  incurred above and beyond the cost savings it realizes as a
    24  result of individual total refund designations.
    25     (d)  The department shall provide adequate information
    26  concerning the Wild Resource Conservation Fund in its
    27  instructions which accompany State income tax return forms,
    28  which shall include the listing of an address furnished to it by
    29  the Wild Resource Conservation Board to which contributions may
    30  be sent by those taxpayers wishing to contribute to said fund
    20070S0090B0126                  - 3 -     

     1  but who do not receive refunds.
     2     (e)  This section shall apply to taxable years beginning on
     3  or after January 1, 1997.
     4     Section 2.  Section 315.4 of the act, amended June 22, 2001
     5  (P.L.353, No.23), is amended to read:
     6     Section 315.4.  Contributions for Organ and Tissue Donation
     7  Awareness.--(a)  The department shall provide a space on the
     8  Pennsylvania individual income tax return form whereby an
     9  individual may voluntarily designate a contribution of any
    10  amount desired to [the] The Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial
    11  Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund established under
    12  20 Pa.C.S. § 8622 (relating to [the] The Governor Robert P.
    13  Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund).
    14     (b)  [The] In the case of a refund, the amount so designated
    15  by an individual on the Pennsylvania individual income tax
    16  return form shall be deducted from the tax refund to which the
    17  individual is entitled and shall not constitute a charge against
    18  the income tax revenues due the Commonwealth. If there is no
    19  refund, the individual may also designate a contribution if the
    20  amount of the contribution is paid by the individual.
    21     (c)  The department shall annually determine the total amount
    22  designated pursuant to this section and shall report that amount
    23  to the State Treasurer who shall transfer that amount to [the]
    24  The Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation
    25  Awareness Trust Fund.
    26     (d)  The department shall, in all taxable years following the
    27  effective date of this section, provide on its forms or in its
    28  instructions which accompany Pennsylvania individual income tax
    29  return forms adequate information concerning [the] The Governor
    30  Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness
    20070S0090B0126                  - 4 -     

     1  Trust Fund which shall include the listing of an address
     2  furnished to it by the Organ Donation Advisory Committee to
     3  which contributions may be sent by those taxpayers wishing to
     4  contribute to the fund but who do not receive refunds.
     5     (e)  This section shall apply to taxable years beginning on
     6  or after January 1, 1997.
     7     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.
















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