Regular Session 2021-2022 House Bill 2881 P.N. 3554

PRINTER'S NO. 3554

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

2881

Session of

2022

INTRODUCED BY RABB, HILL-EVANS, SAMUELSON, HOHENSTEIN, ISAACSON,

SANCHEZ, SAPPEY, MADDEN, JAMES, N. NELSON AND CIRESI,

OCTOBER 17, 2022

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,

OCTOBER 17, 2022

AN ACT

Establishing the Pollinator Task Force and providing for its

powers and duties; and imposing duties on the Department of

Agriculture.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pollinator

Task Force 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 Agriculture of the

Commonwealth.

"Pollinator." A beneficial insect, domestic or wild, which

is effective at pollinating plants during its life cycle.

"Secretary." The Secretary of Agriculture of the

Commonwealth.

"Task force." The Pollinator Task Force established under

section 3(a).

Section 3. Pollinator Task Force.

(a) Establishment.--The Pollinator Task Force is established

as an independent task force in which the department has primary

jurisdiction.

(b) Purposes.--The task force shall work in collaboration

with the department and other State departments and agencies,

representatives of the agriculture industry, representatives of

registered apiaries, representatives of academic institutions,

representatives of conservation organizations and other groups

to develop recommendations for supporting pollinator populations

and policies and practices to promote the conservation and

protection of pollinator species in this Commonwealth.

members appointed in accordance with this section.

(d) Potential appointees.--The following individuals shall

each recommend three individuals as potential appointees to the

task force:

(1) The secretary or a designee with experience,

knowledge and expertise with pollinators.

(2) The Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources

or a designee with experience, knowledge and expertise with

pollinators.

(3) The Secretary of Transportation or a designee with

experience, knowledge and expertise with pollinators.

(4) A representative of the Office of Health Equity,

appointed by the Secretary of Health.

(5) A representative of the Office of Environmental

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Justice, appointed by the Secretary of Environmental

Protection.

(e) List of potential appointees.--The individuals specified

under subsection (d) shall develop a list of all the potential

appointees developed under subsection (d) and provide the list

to:

(1) The President pro tempore of the Senate.

(2) The Minority Leader of the Senate.

(3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(4) The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(f) Selection process.--

(1) Upon receiving the list of potential appointees

under subsection (e), the legislative officers specified

under subsection (e) shall:

(i) Review the list and denote their preferred

choices for appointees.

(ii) Choose one appointee from the three potential

appointees recommended by each of the five individuals

specified under subsection (d), based on the results of

their review and their preferred choices.

(2) In the event of a tie vote regarding the selection

of an individual as an appointee under paragraph (1)(ii),

another vote will be taken on the selection, with the

following individuals making the determination:

(i) The legislative leaders under subsection (e).

(ii) The chairperson of the Agriculture and Rural

Affairs Committee of the Senate.

(iii) The minority chairperson of the Agriculture

and Rural Affairs Committee of the Senate.

(iv) The chairperson of the Agriculture and Rural

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Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.

(v) The minority chairperson of the Agriculture and

Rural Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives.

(g) Officers of task force.--

(1) The secretary shall serve as the chairperson of the

task force.

(2) By a majority vote, the task force may elect a vice

chairperson and other officers as it deems necessary and

appropriate to facilitate the work of the task force.

(h) Operation of task force generally.--

(1) The task force may adopt bylaws, rules or procedures

that it deems necessary to accomplish its purposes.

(2) The task force shall establish rules of procedure to

govern the conduct of its members.

(3) The department shall provide administrative support

to the task force.

(i) Vacancy.--A vacancy on the task force shall be filled

for the unexpired term of an appointed member of the task force

in the same manner as the original appointment.

(j) Meetings.--

(1) Within 90 days of the effective date of this

subsection, the task force shall hold its initial meeting.

(2) The task force shall meet at least once quarterly

and shall hold other meetings as it deems necessary.

(k) Quorum.--

(1) A majority of the members of the task force shall

constitute a quorum.

(2) Action may be taken by the task force at a meeting

upon a vote of a quorum of its members present in person or

through electronic means.

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(l) Compensation and expenses.--Members of the task force

shall not be entitled to compensation for their services as

members but shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual and

necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties

as members of the task force. A member of the task force shall

be reimbursed in accordance with Commonwealth policy in effect

for agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction.

(m) Records.--Meetings of the task force shall be subject to

the requirements of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open

meetings).

Section 4. Powers and duties of task force.

Subject to section 5, the task force shall have the following

powers and duties:

(1) To work in collaboration with the department and

other State departments and agencies, representatives of the

agriculture industry, representatives of registered apiaries,

representatives of academic institutions, representatives of

conservation organizations and other groups to develop

recommendations for supporting pollinator populations and

policies and practices to promote the conservation and

protection of pollinator species in this Commonwealth.

(2) To coordinate the collection of information and

communication-related information on programs and incentives

with Federal, State and local government agencies and

regulatory authorities, academic institutions and apiary,

agriculture, conservation, environmental and pollinator

organizations.

(3) To investigate and study ways to conserve and

protect pollinators and strengthen pollinator populations in

this Commonwealth and prepare a report that includes, at a

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minimum, the following:

(i) An overview of the status of pollinator

populations in this Commonwealth and the causes of

population declines.

(ii) Recommendations regarding the following:

(A) Data collection and dissemination, benchmark

development, targeting practices and transparency for

grant making to promote the conservation and

protection of pollinators in this Commonwealth.

(B) What practices may be applied to conserve,

protect and strengthen pollinator populations in this

Commonwealth.

policies that regulate and support the conservation

and protection of pollinators in this Commonwealth

could be more effectively applied.

(D) Ways in which programs and services offered

by the department and other State departments and

agencies could provide for more effective pollinator

conservation and protection measures.

(E) Ways in which regulatory and other

departmental decision-making processes could provide

for more effective pollinator conservation and

protection measures.

(F) The ongoing role of the task force in

supporting the implementation and monitoring of the

goals specified in this act.

(4) Not later than July 1, 2023, and each July 1

thereafter, to prepare an annual report. The following apply:

(i) The report shall contain recommendations and

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provide an update on the status of the task force's

activities relative to the ways in which laws,

regulations and other policies could more effectively

provide for the conservation and protection of

pollinators in this Commonwealth.

(ii) The report shall be transmitted to the

following:

(A) The Governor.

(B) The department.

of the Senate.

(D) The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

of the House of Representatives.

Section 5. Access to information and records.

(a) Logging of information.--When the task force collects

information relating to pollinators, apiaries, agriculture,

conservation, pesticides, the environment or any other issue

related to pollinators, the task force shall log the information

and identify the Commonwealth agency providing the information.

(b) Right-to-Know requests.--Records relating to the task

force shall be made available for access under the act of

February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law.

Section 6. Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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