Bill Text: PA HB1971 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Further providing for use of Tobacco Settlement Fund; and establishing the Cigarette Home Safety Firefighters Scholarship Fund.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 18-4)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-09-14 - Referred to HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [HB1971 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1971-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2652
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1971 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY GEORGE, BRADFORD, BRENNAN, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, FARRY, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HESS, HORNAMAN, MAHONEY, McGEEHAN, MELIO, O'NEILL, READSHAW, SOLOBAY, THOMAS, VULAKOVICH, WHITE AND YOUNGBLOOD, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 26, 2001 (P.L.755, No.77), entitled "An
act establishing a special fund and account for money
received by the Commonwealth from the Master Settlement
Agreement with tobacco manufacturers; providing for home and
community-based care, for tobacco use prevention and
cessation efforts, for Commonwealth universal research
enhancement, for hospital uncompensated care, for health
investment insurance, for medical assistance for workers with
disabilities, for regional biotechnology research centers,
for the HealthLink Program, for community-based health care
assistance programs, for PACE reinstatement and PACENET
expansion, for medical education loan assistance and for
percentage allocation and appropriation of moneys," further
providing for use of Tobacco Settlement Fund; and
establishing the Cigarette Home Safety Firefighters
Scholarship Fund.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 306(b) of the act of June 26, 2001
(P.L.755, No.77), known as the Tobacco Settlement Act, is
amended to read:
Section 306. Use of Tobacco Settlement Fund.
* * *
(b) Appropriations.--
(1) The General Assembly hereby appropriates funds in
the fund in accordance with the following percentages based
on actual funds received in each year or upon receipt of the
final annual payment:
(i) Eight percent for deposit into the Health
Account pursuant to this chapter, which shall be
deposited immediately upon receipt.
(ii) Thirteen percent for home and community-based
services pursuant to Chapter 5. For fiscal year
2001-2002, up to $13.5 million may be used for expanded
counseling, area agency on aging training and education,
assistive technology and for reducing waiting lists for
services in the Department of Aging.
(iii) Twelve percent for tobacco use prevention and
cessation programs pursuant to Chapter 7.
(iv) [Eighteen] Seventeen percent for health and
related research pursuant to section 906 and one percent
for health and related research pursuant to section 909.
(v) Ten percent for the uncompensated care payment
program pursuant to Chapter 11.
(vi) Thirty percent for health investment insurance
pursuant to Chapter 13 and for the purchase of Medicaid
benefits for workers with disabilities pursuant to
Chapter 15.
(vii) Eight percent for the expansion of the PACENET
program pursuant to Chapter 23.
(viii) One percent to be deposited in the State
Treasury in the Cigarette Home Safety Firefighters
Scholarship Fund pursuant to section 2604.
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(2) In addition, any Federal funds received for any of
these programs is hereby specifically appropriated to those
programs.
* * *
Section 2. The act is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 26
CIGARETTE HOME SAFETY FIREFIGHTERS SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Section 2601. Scope
This chapter deals with the establishment of the Cigarette
Home Safety Firefighters Scholarship Fund and disbursement of
funds for eligible applicants.
Section 2602. Declaration of intent.
The General Assembly declares as follows:
(1) According to the United States Consumer Product
Safety Commission, cigarettes provide a significant risk of
fire to homeowners, with smoldering fires in mattresses and
bedding being a significant cause of death in residential
fires. According to a 2006 USA Today article, cigarette fires
still kill 700 to 900 people annually. Despite the recent
mandate of fire-safe cigarettes in Pennsylvania, cigarettes
still pose a dangerous risk to homeowners. When fires do
occur, that risk and danger is then passed on to our brave
firefighters who risk their own lives for the purpose of
saving people and their homes.
(2) Recognizing the danger of cigarette-caused home
fires and the bravery of our firefighters who risk their
lives for the purpose of saving others and their property,
the General Assembly deems it appropriate to establish a
scholarship fund for our firefighters.
Section 2603. Definitions.
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The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
"Eligible applicant." An individual who at the time of
application is an actively serving member of a volunteer or paid
firefighting company or service in this Commonwealth.
"Eligible learning institution." An accredited postsecondary
institution of higher education as recognized by the
Pennsylvania Department of Education or postsecondary vocational
school.
"Fund." The Cigarette Home Safety Firefighters Scholarship
Fund established in section 2604.
Section 2604. Cigarette Home Safety Firefighters Scholarship
Fund
(a) Establishment.--A fund is hereby established in the
State Treasury to be used solely for scholarships for eligible
applicants except as provided in subsection (e). The
scholarships shall be administered through the agency which will
make the necessary requests for withdrawal of moneys from the
fund.
(b) Scholarship description.--An eligible applicant may
apply with the agency for a one-time scholarship in the amount
of $4,000 to be used in an eligible learning institution.
(c) Eligibility.--An eligible applicant must be enrolled in
an eligible learning institution at the time of application or
up to six months prior to enrolling in an eligible learning
institution.
(d) Agency duties.--The agency shall:
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(1) Administer the program and award scholarships from
the fund by establishing procedures and providing forms as
may be necessary to implement the program. A scholarship to
an eligible applicant under the program shall not exceed
$4,000.
(2) Ensure that funds are used in accordance with
program requirements. Scholarship recipients shall provide
information relating to the expenditure of money in the
format specified by the agency.
(e) Remaining money.--At the end of each fiscal year,
remaining money in the fund shall be deposited into the General
Fund.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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