PRINTER'S NO. 818
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
836
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY SCHWEYER, BURGOS, CONKLIN, T. DAVIS, FRANKEL,
FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS, HOHENSTEIN, ISAACSON, KENYATTA, LEE,
McCLINTON, McNEILL, N. NELSON, SANCHEZ, SCHLOSSBERG, SIMS AND
WEBSTER, MARCH 8, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES,
MARCH 8, 2021
AN ACT
Establishing the LGBTQ Senior Community Grant Program;
conferring powers and imposing duties on the Department of
Aging; and making an appropriation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Short title.
Section 2. Declaration of policy.
Section 3. Definitions.
Section 4. Establishment.
Section 5. Applications.
Section 6. Award of grants.
Section 7. Restriction.
Section 8. Powers and duties of department.
Section 9. Funding.
Section 10. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
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This act shall be known and may be cited as the LGBTQ Senior
Community Grant Program Act.
Section 2. Declaration of policy.
(a) Purpose of program.--The purpose of the LGBTQ Senior
Community Grant Program is to facilitate the social, emotional
and physical well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender seniors in this Commonwealth by the establishment
of, and support for, community-based services, programs and
activities that support LGBTQ seniors and the LGBTQ community.
(b) Use of grants.--By the establishment of the LGBTQ Senior
Community Grant Program, the General Assembly intends that
grants provided under this act be used to provide support to
not-for-profit organizations, county governments and municipal
governments for community-based services, programs and
activities conducive to the achievement of these goals as well
as other purposes.
Section 3. 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 Aging of the Commonwealth.
"Program." The LGBTQ Senior Community Grant Program
established under this act.
Section 4. Establishment.
There is established in the department a program to be known
as the LGBTQ Senior Community Grant Program. The purpose of the
program shall be to provide annual grants to eligible not-for-
profit organizations, county governments and municipal
governments for community-based services, programs and
activities that support LGBTQ seniors and the LGBTQ community.
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Section 5. Applications.
(a) Development and availability.--Grant application forms
shall be developed by the department and be made available on
the department's publicly accessible Internet website.
(b) Compliance.--The department shall verify in writing on
each grant application that the application complies with all
the requirements under section 6.
Section 6. Award of grants.
(a) General rule.--The department shall award grants to
eligible not-for-profit organizations, county governments and
municipal governments which have been approved by the
department. Grants may be awarded for any of the following
purposes:
(1) Health care services for LGBTQ seniors.
(2) Cultural competency training for health care
providers, social service providers and other members of the
community to include discussion of issues related to LGBTQ
seniors.
(3) Social activities and outreach programs for LGBTQ
seniors.
(4) Computer and job training for LGBTQ seniors.
(5) Any other related services that support LGBTQ
seniors and the LGBTQ community or have a sizeable number of
LGBTQ seniors as members.
(b) Amount.--Grant amounts may not exceed a maximum of
$50,000 for each not-for-profit organization, county government
or municipal government approved under this act.
Section 7. Restriction.
The LGBTQ Senior Community Grant Program may not be used for
the capital needs of a not-for-profit organization, county
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government or municipal government.
Section 8. Powers and duties of department.
The powers and duties of the department shall be:
(1) To accept grants from the Federal Government and any
other government or individual or agency for use in the
program.
(2) To promulgate rules, regulations and directives the
department deems necessary to carry out the provisions of
this act.
Section 9. Funding.
(a) General rule.--Notwithstanding sections 301, 303 and 311
of the act of August 26, 1971 (P.L.351, No.91), known as the
State Lottery Law, funding for the program shall be an eligible
use for money in the State Lottery Fund.
(b) Appropriation.--For fiscal year 2021-2022, and each
fiscal year thereafter, the sum of $2,500,000 shall be
appropriated from the State Lottery Fund to the department for
the LGBTQ Senior Community Grant Program.
Section 10. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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