Bill Text: PA HB1142 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Expanding the scope of the grant program; further providing for definitions, for the Volunteer Fire Company Grant Program, for the Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program and for allocation of appropriated funds; and repealing provisions relating to expiration of authority.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-27 - Referred to VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS [HB1142 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1142-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1354
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1142 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY SOLOBAY, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BOYD, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, CALTAGIRONE, CASORIO, CAUSER, D. COSTA, DeLUCA, DePASQUALE, EVERETT, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, HUTCHINSON, M. KELLER, KILLION, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MILNE, MOUL, MURT, QUINN, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROAE, K. SMITH, SWANGER, WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, MARCH 27, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 27, 2009
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 31, 2003 (P.L.73, No.17), entitled "An
act establishing a grant program for volunteer fire companies
and volunteer ambulance services; and providing for grant
funding," expanding the scope of the grant program; further
providing for definitions, for the Volunteer Fire Company
Grant Program, for the Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant
Program and for allocation of appropriated funds; and
repealing provisions relating to expiration of authority.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The title of the act of July 31, 2003 (P.L.73,
No.17), known as the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer
Ambulance Service Grant Act, is amended to read:
AN ACT
Establishing a grant program for [volunteer] fire companies and
[volunteer] ambulance services; and providing for grant
funding.
Section 2. Section 101 of the act is amended to read:
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the [Volunteer]
Fire Company and [Volunteer] Ambulance Service Grant Act.
Section 3. Section 102 of the act, amended June 28, 2007
(P.L.36, No.10), is amended to read:
Section 102. 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:
"Advanced life support services." The term shall have the
meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45),
known as the Emergency Medical Services Act.
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
"Ambulance service." A nonprofit, volunteer or municipal
ambulance service located in this Commonwealth, which is
licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and is not
associated or affiliated with any hospital and which is
regularly engaged in the provision of emergency medical
services, including basic life support or advanced life support
services and advanced life support squads as defined in 28 Pa.
Code § 1005.1 (relating to general provisions). The term shall
not include any corporation, association or organization that is
primarily engaged in the operation of invalid coaches which are
intended for the routine transport of persons who are
convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily
require emergency medical treatment while in transit.
"Basic life support services." The term shall have the
meaning given to it in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45),
known as the Emergency Medical Services Act.
"Commissioner." The State Fire Commissioner.
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"Facility." A structure or portion thereof intended for the
purpose of storage or protection of firefighting apparatus,
ambulances and rescue vehicles and related equipment and gear.
The term does not include meeting halls, social halls, social
rooms, lounges or any other facility not directly related to
firefighting or the furnishing of ambulance or rescue services.
"Fire company." A nonprofit volunteer or municipal fire
company located in this Commonwealth which provides fire
protection or rescue services and which may offer other
emergency services within this Commonwealth. Emergency services
provided by a fire company may include ambulance and rescue
services.
"Grant program." The [Volunteer] Fire Company Grant Program
established in Chapter 3 or the [Volunteer] Ambulance Service
Grant Program established in Chapter 5.
"Invalid coach." The term shall have the meaning given to it
in the act of July 3, 1985 (P.L.164, No.45), known as the
Emergency Medical Services Act.
"Rescue company." A nonprofit volunteer or municipal rescue
company located in this Commonwealth that provides rescue
services as part of the response to fires and/or vehicle
accidents within this Commonwealth.
["Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered
corporation, association or organization located in this
Commonwealth, which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department
of Health and is not associated or affiliated with any hospital
and which is regularly engaged in the provision of emergency
medical services, including basic life support or advanced life
support services and advanced life support squads as defined in
28 Pa. Code § 1005.1 (relating to general provisions). The term
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shall not include any corporation, association or organization
that is primarily engaged in the operation of invalid coaches
which are intended for the routine transport of persons who are
convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily
require emergency medical treatment while in transit.
"Volunteer fire company." A nonprofit chartered corporation,
association or organization located in this Commonwealth which
provides fire protection or rescue services and which may offer
other voluntary emergency within this Commonwealth. Voluntary
emergency services provided by a volunteer fire company may
include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue services.
"Volunteer rescue company." A nonprofit chartered
corporation, association or organization located in this
Commonwealth that provides rescue services as part of the
response to fires and/or vehicle accidents within this
Commonwealth.]
Section 4. The heading of Chapter 3 of the act is amended to
read:
CHAPTER 3
[VOLUNTEER] FIRE COMPANY GRANT PROGRAM
Section 5. Section 301 of the act is amended to read:
Section 301. Establishment.
The [Volunteer] Fire Company Grant Program is hereby
established and shall be administered by the agency in
consultation with the commissioner. Grants provided under this
program shall be used to improve and enhance the capabilities of
the [volunteer] fire company to provide firefighting, ambulance
and rescue services.
Section 6. Section 303 of the act, amended June 28, 2007
(P.L.36, No.10), is amended to read:
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Section 303. Award of grants.
(a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make
a grant award to each eligible [volunteer] fire company for the
following:
(1) Construction and/or renovation of the fire company's
facility and purchase or repair of fixtures and furnishings
necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the
company to provide fire, ambulance and rescue services.
(2) Repair of firefighting, ambulance or rescue
equipment or purchase thereof.
(3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) Training and certification of members.
(b) Limits.--
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3), grants shall be
not less than [$2,500] $7,500 and not more than [$15,000 per
volunteer fire company] $40,000 per fire company and not less
than $7,500 and not more than $50,000 for municipal fire
companies in cities of the third class.
(2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this
purpose.
(3) In a municipality where there are two or more
[volunteer] fire companies and if two or more fire companies
consolidated their use of equipment, firefighters and
services within five years preceding the date of the current
year application submission deadline, the consolidated entity
shall be deemed eligible to receive a grant not to exceed the
amount of the combined total for which the individual
companies would have been eligible had they not consolidated.
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(c) Time for filing application and department action.--
(1) Within 30 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 1 of each year thereafter, the
agency shall provide written instructions for grants under
this act to the fire chief and president of every [volunteer]
fire company in this Commonwealth.
(2) Within 45 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 8 of each year thereafter, the
agency shall provide applications to the fire chief and
president of every [volunteer] fire company. The application
for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2006, and July 1,
2007, shall be a combined application. [Volunteer fire] Fire
companies seeking grants under this act shall submit
completed applications to the agency. The application period
shall remain open for 45 days each year. The agency shall act
to approve or disapprove applications within 60 days of the
application submission deadline each year. Applications which
have not been approved or disapproved by the agency within 60
days after the close of the application period each year
shall be deemed approved.
(d) Eligibility.--To receive grant funds under this act, a
[volunteer] fire company shall have actively responded to one or
more fire or rescue emergencies during the previous calendar
year and must have signed and be under an agreement to actively
participate in the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting
System which is administered by the agency.
Section 7. The heading of Chapter 5 of the act is amended to
read:
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CHAPTER 5
[VOLUNTEER] AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM
Section 8. Section 501 of the act is amended to read:
Section 501. Establishment.
The [Volunteer] Ambulance Service Grant Program is hereby
established and shall be administered by the agency. Grants
provided under this program shall be used to improve and enhance
the capabilities of the [volunteer] ambulance services to
provide ambulance, emergency medical, basic life support and
advanced life support services.
Section 9. Section 503 of the act, amended June 28, 2007
(P.L.36, No.10), is amended to read:
Section 503. Award of grants.
(a) Authorization.--The agency is hereby authorized to make
a grant award to each eligible [volunteer] ambulance service for
the following:
(1) Construction and/or renovation of the [volunteer]
ambulance service's facility and purchase or repair of
fixtures, furnishings, office equipment and support services
necessary to maintain or improve the capability of the
ambulance service to provide ambulance, emergency medical,
basic life support and advanced life support services.
(2) Repair of ambulance equipment or purchase thereof.
(3) Debt reduction associated with paragraph (1) or (2).
(4) Training and certification of members.
(b) Limits.--
(1) Grants shall be not less than [$2,500] $7,500 and
not more than [$10,000 per volunteer] $25,000 per ambulance
service.
(2) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
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total dollar amount of approved applications exceeds the
amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for this
purpose.
(3) If two or more [volunteer] ambulance services
consolidated their use of equipment, personnel and services
within five years preceding the date of the current year
application submission deadline, the consolidated entity
shall be deemed eligible to receive a grant not to exceed the
amount of the combined total for which the individual
companies would have been eligible had they not consolidated.
(c) Time for filing application and department action.--
(1) Within 30 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 1 of each year thereafter, the
agency shall provide written instructions for grants under
this act to the chief or president of every [volunteer]
ambulance service in this Commonwealth.
(2) Within 45 days of the effective date of this
paragraph for the fiscal years commencing July 1, 2006, and
July 1, 2007, and by September 8 of each year, the agency
shall provide applications to the chief or president of every
[volunteer] ambulance service. The application for the fiscal
years commencing July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, shall be a
combined application. [Volunteer ambulance] Ambulance
services seeking grants under this act shall submit completed
applications to the agency. The application period shall
remain open for 45 days each year. The agency shall act to
approve or disapprove applications within 60 days of the
application submission deadline each year. Applications which
have not been approved or disapproved by the agency within 60
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days after the close of the application period each year
shall be deemed approved.
Section 10. Section 703 of the act, amended July 15, 2004
(P.L.712, No.80), is amended to read:
Section 703. Allocation of appropriated funds.
(a) [Prohibition.--No moneys from the appropriation for
volunteer company grants shall be used for expenses or]
Administration.--Of the moneys appropriated to the agency for
fire company and ambulance service grants under section 1799-E
of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The
Fiscal Code, not more than $300,000 shall be expended on the
costs incurred by the agency for the administration of the grant
programs authorized under Chapters 3 and 5.
(b) Grant allocation.--Unless otherwise expressly stated,
moneys appropriated to the agency for purposes of [volunteer
company grants] grants under this act shall be allocated as
follows:
(1) 88% of the balance of the amount appropriated shall
be used for making grants to eligible [volunteer] fire
companies under Chapter 3.
(2) 12% of the balance of the amount appropriated shall
be used for making grants to eligible [volunteer] ambulance
companies under Chapter 5.
Section 11. Section 901 of the act, amended June 28, 2007
(P.L.36, No.10), is repealed:
[Section 901. Expiration of authority.
The authority of the agency to award grants under Chapters 3
and 5 shall expire June 30, 2012.]
Section 12. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009, or
immediately, whichever is later.
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