Regular Session 2023-2024 House Bill 1522 P.N. 2071

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1745

PRINTER'S NO. 2071

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1522

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY PROBST, SANCHEZ, HOHENSTEIN, GUENST, MADDEN, HILL-

EVANS, HOWARD, RADER, BOROWSKI, WEBSTER, VITALI, STEELE,

BRENNAN, GREEN, OTTEN AND SHUSTERMAN, JUNE 27, 2023

AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 2, 2023

AN ACT

Establishing the Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program and the

Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Fund; AND imposing duties on

the Pennsylvania Game Commission; and making annual interfund

transfers.

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 Wildlife

Rehabilitation Grant Program 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:

"Commission." The Pennsylvania Game Commission.

"Facilities." Equipment or housing used in, or necessary

for, wildlife rehabilitation.

"Fund." The Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Fund established

under section 5(a).

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"Program." The Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program

established under section 3(a).

"Wildlife." As follows:

(1) Any of the following that are native to this

Commonwealth and permitted in this Commonwealth for wildlife

rehabilitation under 58 Pa. Code § 147.303 (relating to

permit applications) regardless of classification, and

whether protected or unprotected:

(i) Mammals.

(ii) Nonraptor avian species.

(iii) Raptors of all species.

(2) The term includes the eggs or offspring of the

mammals, nonraptor avian species or raptors of all species

under paragraph (1).

"WILDLIFE." AS DEFINED IN 34 PA.C.S. § 102 (RELATING TO

DEFINITIONS).

"Wildlife rehabilitation." As follows:

(1) The recovery, treatment, restoration or temporary

care of injured, sick, diseased, orphaned or displaced

wildlife.

(2) The term includes the subsequent release of healthy

wildlife to appropriate habitats in the wild.

"Wildlife rehabilitator." A nonprofit organization permitted

under the laws of this Commonwealth to conduct wildlife

rehabilitation AS A WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH 58

PA. CODE CH. 147 SUBCH. P (RELATING TO WILDLIFE REHABILITATION).

Section 3. Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Program.

(a) Establishment.--The Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant

Program is established and shall be administered by the

commission.

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(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to award grants

to wildlife rehabilitators in accordance with this act.

program must be used for the following purposes:

(1) Wildlife rehabilitation.

(2) The improvement of facilities for wildlife

rehabilitation.

(3) A purpose related to any of the purposes described

under paragraph (1) or (2), as determined by the commission.

Section 4. Grant process.

(a) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under the

program, a wildlife rehabilitator must submit a written grant

application to the commission in a manner and on a form

prescribed by the commission. The application must include the

following information:

(1) The name, address and contact information of the

wildlife rehabilitator.

(2) The purpose or purposes for which the grant is

sought.

(3) The amount of the grant requested.

(4) The wildlife intake of the wildlife rehabilitator

from the previous fiscal year.

(5) Any other information or documentation required by

the commission.

(b) Review and determination.--

(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), within 60 days

after receipt of a completed application under the program,

the commission shall review the application and determine

whether to approve or deny the application, in whole or in

part.

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(2) If the commission fails to make a determination in

accordance with paragraph (1), the application shall be

deemed denied.

(3) To aid in the determination of whether to award a

grant under the program, the commission may require

additional information or verification following receipt of a

completed application. In such an instance, the time period

specified under paragraph (1) shall commence upon receipt of

the additional information or verification.

amount of each grant under the program based on the wildlife

intake of the wildlife rehabilitator from the previous fiscal

year, which is set as follows:

(1) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 1 to 100

animals or birds, $2,500.

(2) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 101 to 250

animals or birds, $5,000.

(3) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 251 to 500

animals or birds, $7,500.

(4) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 501 to 750

animals or birds, $10,000.

(5) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 751 to

1,000 animals or birds, $15,000.

(6) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 1,001 to

1,500 animals or birds, $20,000.

(7) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 1,501 to

2,000 animals or birds, $35,000.

(8) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF 2,001 to

2,500 animals or birds, $50,000.

(9) For wildlife intake involving NUMBERS OF more than

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2,500 animals or birds, $75,000.

(d) Other limitations.--

(1) Grants under the program shall be disbursed on a

first-come, first-served basis determined by the commission

and until all money in the fund is exhausted.

(2) The commission may award only one grant during a

calendar year for each office location of a wildlife

rehabilitator.

(e) Notice.--After making a determination regarding the

approval or denial, in whole or in part, of an application under

the program, the commission shall provide written notice of the

determination to the applicant. The following apply:

(1) If the commission approves the application, the

notice must include the amount of the grant awarded and any

conditions or restrictions on the use of the grant.

(2) If the commission denies the application, in whole

or in part, the notice must include the reasons for the

denial.

(f) Report by wildlife rehabilitator.--No later than the May

1 after a wildlife rehabilitator receives a grant under this

act, the wildlife rehabilitator shall provide to the commission

information on the use of the grant, including the wildlife

intake and wildlife rehabilitation efforts made possible as a

result of the grant, on a form and in a manner determined by the

commission.

Section 5. Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Fund.

(a) Establishment.--The Wildlife Rehabilitation Grant Fund

is established as a nonlapsing fund in the State Treasury. Any

money remaining in the fund, including interest, at the end of

each fiscal year shall revert to the Game Fund.

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(b) Fund sources.--

(1) Funding for the program shall consist of an annual

transfer in the amount of $300,000 to the fund from the Game

Fund. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY APPROPRIATE MONEY TO CARRY OUT

THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT.

(2) The commission may solicit and accept alternative

funding for the program, including Federal money, grants,

donations, gifts and other payments from any source.

(3) Money for the program shall be deposited into the

fund.

interest earned on the money in the fund are appropriated to the

commission on a continuing basis to award grants under the

program.

Section 6. Reports.

(a) Submittal.--No later than the June 1 that is at least

one year after the effective date of this subsection and each

June 1 thereafter, the commission shall submit a report on the

program to the following:

(1) The Governor.

(2) The executive director of the commission.

(3) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

Appropriations Committee of the Senate.

(4) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.

(5) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Game

and Fisheries Committee of the Senate.

(6) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Game

and Fisheries Committee of the House of Representatives.

(b) Contents.--Each annual report under this section shall

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include the following:

(1) The number of applications received under the

program.

(2) The number of grants awarded under the program.

(3) The total dollar amount of grants awarded under the

program.

(4) The amount of each grant awarded under the program.

(5) The number of grants denied under the program, in

whole or in part, along with the reasons for the denial.

(6) The amount remaining in the fund.

(7) The use of each grant awarded, including each

wildlife rehabilitator's wildlife intake and wildlife

rehabilitation efforts made possible as a result of the

grant.

(8) Any recommendations by the commission to improve the

program.

posted on the publicly accessible Internet website of the

commission.

Section 7. Policies and procedures.

The commission shall implement any necessary policy or

procedure to administer the program and fund.

Section 8. Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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