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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY BAKER, SOLOBAY, TOMLINSON, MENSCH, GORDNER, ERICKSON, VOGEL, TARTAGLIONE, SCHWANK, FONTANA, YUDICHAK, RAFFERTY AND STACK, MAY 29, 2012 |
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| REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, MAY 29, 2012 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Amending Titles 51 (Military Affairs) and 75 (Vehicles) of the |
2 | Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in State Veterans' |
3 | Commission and Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans' Affairs, |
4 | establishing the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund; and, in |
5 | registration of vehicles, further providing for special |
6 | plates for veterans. |
7 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
8 | hereby enacts as follows: |
9 | Section 1. Chapter 17 of Title 51 of the Pennsylvania |
10 | Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subchapter to read: |
11 | SUBCHAPTER C |
12 | PENNSYLVANIA VETERANS TRUST FUND AND |
13 | PENNSYLVANIA VETERANS FOUNDATION |
14 | Sec. |
15 | 1721. Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund. |
16 | 1722. Contributions from drivers' licenses, registrations and |
17 | special license plates. |
18 | 1723. Use of driver's license or identification card to |
19 | indicate veteran status. |
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1 | 1724. Administrative provisions. |
2 | 1725. Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation. |
3 | § 1721. Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund. |
4 | (a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund is |
5 | established in the State Treasury. |
6 | (b) Source of revenue.--The Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund |
7 | shall be funded from the following sources: |
8 | (1) Proceeds paid by the Department of Transportation |
9 | under section 1722 (relating to contributions from drivers' |
10 | licenses, registrations and special license plates) and 75 |
11 | Pa.C.S. § 1364(b) (relating to special plates for veterans). |
12 | (2) In fiscal year 2012, the sum of $1,700,000 shall be |
13 | transferred from the General Fund. This transfer shall occur |
14 | after sale of lands, buildings or other real estate used for |
15 | veterans' facilities or programs under the jurisdiction and |
16 | control of the department, excluding proceeds deposited in |
17 | the State Treasury Armory Fund under section 1511 (relating |
18 | to State Treasury Armory Fund). |
19 | (3) Grants, gifts, donations and other payments from the |
20 | Federal Government, individuals, corporations, other trusts |
21 | and foundations or other legal entities. |
22 | (4) Such funds as may, from time to time, be |
23 | appropriated to the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund. |
24 | (c) Appropriation.--Moneys in the Pennsylvania Veterans |
25 | Trust Fund are specifically appropriated on a continuing basis |
26 | to the department for the purposes specified in subsection (d). |
27 | (d) Expenditures.--The department may expend moneys from the |
28 | Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund for the following purposes: |
29 | (1) To make grants to the Pennsylvania Veterans |
30 | Foundation or other Statewide charitable foundations or |
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1 | veterans' service organizations for funding programs and |
2 | projects to support Pennsylvania veterans and their families. |
3 | (2) To make grants to, and provide funding support for, |
4 | new, innovative and expanded efforts and programs operated by |
5 | the County Directors of Veterans Affairs. |
6 | (3) To make grants to Statewide veterans' service |
7 | organizations in addition to the grants authorized and funded |
8 | pursuant to section 9304 (relating to grants to veterans' |
9 | service officer programs). |
10 | (4) To assist Pennsylvania veterans in need of shelter |
11 | and the necessities of living to the extent that other funds |
12 | are not appropriated and other resources are not available |
13 | for that purpose. |
14 | (5) To assist in the operation, maintenance and repair |
15 | of Pennsylvania monuments honoring Pennsylvania service |
16 | members and veterans who served in the United States or |
17 | overseas. |
18 | (e) Contributions and solicitation of funds.--The department |
19 | is authorized to solicit and accept, on behalf of the |
20 | Commonwealth, gifts, donations, legacies and usages of money for |
21 | the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund from individuals, |
22 | organizations, public or private corporations or other similar |
23 | entities. |
24 | (f) Procedures, policies and guidelines.--The department |
25 | shall establish procedures, policies and guidelines for |
26 | operation and maintenance of the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust |
27 | Fund within 60 days of the effective date of this section. The |
28 | guidelines shall be published as a notice in the Pennsylvania |
29 | Bulletin, but shall not be subject to review under section 205 |
30 | of the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.769, No.240), referred to as |
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1 | the Commonwealth Documents Law, sections 204(b) and 301(10) of |
2 | the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164), known as the |
3 | Commonwealth Attorneys Act or the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, |
4 | No.181), known as the Regulatory Review Act. |
5 | (g) Reports.--Beginning on or before July 31, 2013, and |
6 | every year thereafter, the department shall submit a report to |
7 | the chairman and minority chairman of the Veterans Affairs and |
8 | Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the chairman |
9 | and minority chairman of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency |
10 | Preparedness Committee of the House of Representatives detailing |
11 | the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund revenues and expenditures |
12 | in the prior fiscal year and describing the activities, programs |
13 | and projects funded. |
14 | § 1722. Contributions from drivers' licenses, registrations and |
15 | special license plates. |
16 | (a) General rule.--Beginning as soon as practicable, but not |
17 | later than one year from the effective date of this section, the |
18 | Department of Transportation shall provide an applicant for: |
19 | (1) An original or renewal driver's license or |
20 | identification card the opportunity to make a contribution of |
21 | $2 to the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund. The contribution |
22 | shall be added to the regular fee for an original or renewal |
23 | driver's license or identification card. One contribution may |
24 | be made for each issuance or renewal of a driver's license or |
25 | identification card. Contributions shall be used exclusively |
26 | for the purposes enumerated in section 1721 (relating to |
27 | Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund). |
28 | (2) A renewal vehicle registration the opportunity to |
29 | make a contribution of $2 to the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust |
30 | Fund. The contribution shall be added to the regular fee for |
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1 | a renewal of a vehicle registration. One contribution may be |
2 | made for each renewal vehicle registration. Contributions |
3 | shall be used exclusively for the purposes described in |
4 | section 1721. |
5 | (b) Special veterans' license plates.--The Pennsylvania |
6 | Veterans Trust Fund shall receive the proceeds for all special |
7 | motor vehicle license plates issued by the Department of |
8 | Transportation to honor Pennsylvania veterans as provided by 75 |
9 | Pa.C.S. § 1364(b) (relating to special plates for veterans). |
10 | § 1723. Use of driver's license or identification card to |
11 | indicate veteran status. |
12 | (a) General rule.--Beginning as soon as practicable, but not |
13 | later than 18 months following the effective date of this |
14 | section, the Department of Transportation shall process requests |
15 | from military veterans to place a veteran designation on the |
16 | driver's license or identification card of the veteran. |
17 | (b) Application process.--Upon receipt of an application |
18 | from a veteran accompanied by a one-time payment of a $5 license |
19 | designation fee, which shall be in addition to any renewal or |
20 | duplicate driver's license or identification card fee, and by |
21 | such documentation as the Department of Transportation shall |
22 | require, the Department of Transportation shall issue the |
23 | veteran a driver's license or identification card displaying a |
24 | veteran designation. |
25 | § 1724. Administration provisions. |
26 | (a) Agreement.--The Department of Transportation and the |
27 | department shall enter into an agreement which provides that the |
28 | department shall reimburse the Motor License Fund from the |
29 | Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund for the Department of |
30 | Transportation's actual annual operating costs of the veteran |
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1 | programs in sections 1722 (relating to contributions from |
2 | drivers' licenses, registrations and special license plates) and |
3 | 1723 (relating to use of driver's license or identification card |
4 | to indicate veteran status). |
5 | (b) Deposits.--The Department of Transportation shall |
6 | monthly determine the total amount collected under sections 1722 |
7 | and 1723 and shall report that amount to the State Treasurer, |
8 | who shall transfer that amount to the Pennsylvania Veterans |
9 | Trust Fund. |
10 | (c) Cost of administration.--The Pennsylvania Veterans Trust |
11 | Fund shall reimburse the Motor License Fund for the actual costs |
12 | incurred by the Department of Transportation in the development |
13 | and implementation of the programs under sections 1722 and 1723 |
14 | as well as the actual operating costs of the programs. |
15 | § 1725. Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation. |
16 | (a) Charter granted.--The Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation, |
17 | a Statewide charitable foundation whose purpose is to assist and |
18 | provide benefits for Pennsylvania veterans and their families, |
19 | is chartered and recognized. |
20 | (b) Board of directors and governance.--The Deputy Adjutant |
21 | General for Veterans' Affairs or his successor or designee shall |
22 | serve as ex officio members of the board of directors of the |
23 | Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation. The foundation will be |
24 | governed by a board of directors in accordance with its |
25 | corporate bylaws. |
26 | (c) Funding.--In addition to raising funds in any manner |
27 | authorized by law for charitable foundations, the Pennsylvania |
28 | Veterans Foundation shall receive grants and other funding from |
29 | the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund. The department or the |
30 | Auditor General may conduct such audits and reviews of the |
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1 | foundation's use of grants from the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust |
2 | Fund as the Adjutant General or Auditor General deems |
3 | appropriate. Copies of all such audit reports and reviews shall |
4 | be furnished to the chairman and minority chairman of the |
5 | Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the |
6 | Senate and the chairman and minority chairman of the Veterans |
7 | Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of |
8 | Representatives. |
9 | Section 2. Section 1364 of Title 75 is amended to read: |
10 | § 1364. Special plates for veterans. |
11 | (a) Honorably discharged veterans.--Upon application of any |
12 | person who is an honorably discharged veteran of the armed |
13 | forces of the United States or a reserve component of the armed |
14 | forces as defined in 51 Pa.C.S. § 7301 (relating to |
15 | definitions), accompanied by a fee of $20 which shall be in |
16 | addition to the annual registration fee and by such |
17 | documentation as the department shall require, the department |
18 | shall issue to the person a special registration plate |
19 | designating the vehicle as belonging to a person who is a |
20 | veteran of the armed forces of the United States. The special |
21 | registration plate may be used only on a passenger car or truck |
22 | with a registered gross weight of not more than 10,000 pounds. |
23 | (b) Honoring our veterans.--Upon application of any person, |
24 | accompanied by a fee of $35, which shall be in addition to the |
25 | annual registration fee and by such documentation as the |
26 | department shall require, the department shall issue to the |
27 | person a special registration plate designating the vehicle as |
28 | belonging to a person who is honoring veterans of the armed |
29 | forces of the United States. The special registration plate may |
30 | be used only on a passenger car or truck with a registered gross |
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1 | weight of not more than 10,000 pounds. The Pennsylvania Veterans |
2 | Trust Fund shall receive $15 of the fee paid by the applicant |
3 | for the plate. |
4 | Section 3. This act shall take effect as follows: |
5 | (1) The amendment of 75 Pa.C.S. § 1364 shall take effect |
6 | in 180 days. |
7 | (2) The remainder of this act shall take effect |
8 | immediately. |
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