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PRINTER'S NO. 521
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
472
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY BREWSTER, HUGHES, COSTA, LANGERHOLC AND LEACH,
MARCH 28, 2019
REFERRED TO LAW AND JUSTICE, MARCH 28, 2019
AN ACT
Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, providing for
Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant Program and
establishing the Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation
Grant Program Fund.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 23 of Title 53 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subchapter to read:
SUBCHAPTER D
MUNICIPAL POLICE ENHANCEMENT
CONSOLIDATION GRANT PROGRAM
Sec.
2351. Definitions.
2352. Establishment of program.
2353. Publication and notice of program.
2354. Award of grants.
2355. Applications for grants.
2356. Accreditation or consolidation incentives.
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2357. Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant Program
Fund.
§ 2351. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Application." An application submitted under section
2355(c) (relating to applications for grants) for a grant under
the program.
"Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency.
"Consolidation." The process of consolidating two or more
municipal police departments under Subchapter A (relating to
intergovernmental cooperation) or by a contract for services.
"Fund." The Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant
Program Fund established under section 2357(a) (relating to
Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant Program Fund).
"Municipality." A city of the second class A, a city of the
third class, a borough, a township of the first class or a
township of the second class.
"Municipal police department." A police department that has
been organized and established by a municipality.
"Program." The Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation
Grant Program established under section 2352 (relating to
establishment of program).
§ 2352. Establishment of program.
The Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant Program
is established and shall be administered by the commission.
Grants provided under the program shall be used to improve and
enhance the capabilities of municipal police departments,
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incentivize consolidation and provide training and other
appropriate resources to municipal police officers.
§ 2353. Publication and notice of program.
The commission shall transmit notice of the availability of
grants under the program to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin within 120 days from
June 30, 2020, for grants under the program for the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 2020, and by August 8 for grants under the
program for each fiscal year thereafter.
§ 2354. Award of grants.
(a) Authorization.--The commission may award grants under
the program to municipal police departments for any of the
following:
(1) Consolidation.
(2) Achieving accreditation standards of the
International Association of Chiefs of Police.
(3) Training and certification of municipal police
officers.
(4) Community outreach programs.
(5) Enhanced mental health services for municipal police
officers.
(b) Additional grants.--A municipal police department with
no more than 10 police officers shall be eligible to receive
additional grants under the program in accordance with the
certification bonus point system under section 2356 (relating to
accreditation or consolidation incentives) for any of the
following:
(1) Consolidation.
(2) Achieving accreditation standards of the
International Association of Chiefs of Police.
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(c) Grant limits.--The following apply:
(1) A grant under the program shall not be less than
$5,000 nor more than $15,000 per municipal police department.
(2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
total dollar amount of applications submitted under section
2355(c) (relating to applications for grants) exceeds the
amount of money appropriated by the General Assembly for the
program.
§ 2355. Applications for grants.
(a) Instructions.-- Within 120 days of June 30, 2020, for
applications for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, and by
September 1 for applications for each fiscal year thereafter,
the commission shall provide written notice of the application
instructions to the chief of each municipal police department or
the chief executive of each municipality.
(b) Applications.--Within 180 days of June 30, 2020, for
applications for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, and by
October 1 for applications for each fiscal year thereafter, the
commission shall provide applications to the chief of each
municipal police department or the chief executive of each
municipality.
(c) Submission.--A municipal police department seeking a
grant under the program shall submit a completed application to
the commission within an application period prescribed by the
commission. The application period shall remain open for 60 days
each year.
(d) Approval or disapproval.--The commission shall approve
or disapprove an application received under subsection (c)
within 120 days after the close of the application period. An
application which has not been approved or disapproved by the
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commission within 120 days after the close of the application
period shall be deemed approved.
§ 2356. Accreditation or consolidation incentives.
The commission shall establish a certification bonus point
system to provide additional grant funding to a municipal police
department which has achieved accreditation or consolidation.
§ 2357. Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant
Program Fund.
(a) Establishment.--The Municipal Police Enhancement
Consolidation Grant Program Fund is established in the State
Treasury for the purpose of making grants under the program.
(b) Funding.--Grants under the program may be awarded from
money appropriated, allocated or otherwise made available to the
fund.
(c) Transfers.--If a tax is imposed on the extraction of
natural gas in this Commonwealth, the first $10,000,000 of the
tax shall be deposited in the fund each year.
(d) Administration.--The following apply:
(1) Except as provided under paragraph (2), money in the
fund may not be used for expenses or costs incurred by the
commission for the administration of the program.
(2) The commission may allocate no more than $500,000 of
unencumbered money remaining in the fund for the
administrative costs of the program.
(e) Grant allocations.--Money in the fund shall be allocated
as follows:
(1) Twenty-five percent of the money shall be used for
grants to municipal police departments that have achieved
consolidation.
(2) Seventy-five percent of the money shall be for
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grants to municipal police departments for the following
purposes:
(i) Achieving accreditation standards of the
International Association of Chiefs of Police.
(ii) Training and certification of municipal police
officers.
(iii) Community outreach programs.
(iv) Enhanced mental health services for municipal
police officers.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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