PRINTER'S NO. 4252
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2790
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, SNYDER, MADDEN, KINSEY, GALLOWAY,
CALTAGIRONE, WEBSTER, WILLIAMS, SCHLOSSBERG, HILL-EVANS,
MALAGARI, McNEILL, HANBIDGE, GREEN, LEE, SANCHEZ, READSHAW,
A. DAVIS, DONATUCCI, LONGIETTI, DEASY, DeLUCA, KENYATTA,
WARREN, KIM AND DRISCOLL, AUGUST 13, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, AUGUST 13, 2020
AN ACT
Establishing the COVID-19 Mitigation Grant Program for small
businesses.
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the COVID-19
Mitigation Grants for Small Businesses Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Disaster emergency." The proclamation of disaster emergency
issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020, published at 50 Pa.B.
1644 (March 21, 2020), and any renewal of the state of disaster
emergency.
"Grant." A grant awarded under the COVID-19 Mitigation Grant
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Program.
"Program." The COVID-19 Mitigation Grant Program.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Small business." A retail or personal service employer
within this Commonwealth:
(1) whose gross annual receipts for the prior fiscal
year did not exceed $1,500,000; or
(2) that employs no more than 10 full-time employees.
Section 3. COVID-19 Mitigation Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The COVID-19 Mitigation Grant Program is
established in the department to provide grants to small
businesses for mitigation efforts to prevent the spread of
COVID-19.
(b) Use of grant money.--Grant money awarded by the
department shall be used by the small business to follow health
and safety guidelines established by the department or the
Department of Health and to implement COVID-19 mitigation
efforts to protect its employees and customers, including all of
the following:
(1) Contactless payment methods.
(2) Protective barriers.
(3) Personal protective equipment for employees and
customers.
(4) Other mitigation efforts approved by the department.
(c) Amount.--Subject to the availability of program funds, a
a small business that meets the requirements under section 4 may
be awarded a one-time grant not exceed $15,000.
Section 4. Eligibility.
A small business is eligible for a grant if it meets the
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following requirements:
(1) has been financially harmed by the COVID-19
pandemic; and
(2) any of the following:
(i) is deemed life-sustaining by the Commonwealth;
(ii) is granted a waiver to operate during the
disaster emergency; or
(iii) operates in a county that has been designated
by executive action to be in the Yellow Phase or Green
Phase.
Section 5. Application.
(a) Development of application.--The department shall create
and implement an application for small businesses applying for
the program.
(b) Contents of application.--The application shall include
all of the following information:
(1) The name, address and contact information for the
small business.
(2) The amount of grant money requested.
(3) The intended use of the grant money and any
mitigation efforts the small business plans to undertake.
(4) The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and
the disaster emergency on the small business.
(5) Any other information deemed necessary by the
department.
Section 6. Public notice.
The department shall provide information regarding the
application for the program and award of grant money on its
publicly accessible Internet website.
Section 7. Appropriation.
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The sum of $50,000,000 is appropriated from the CARES Act
Fund to the department to administer the program.
Section 8. Reporting.
Following the termination or expiration of the disaster
emergency, the department shall post on its publicly accessible
Internet website the recipients of grants and the amount of
grant money awarded.
Section 9. Guidelines.
The department may implement guidelines for the
administration of this act.
Section 10. Expiration.
This act shall expire three months after the disaster
emergency has been rescinded.
Section 11. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 30 days.
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