THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, BRENNAN, FLECK, GIBBONS, GRUCELA, K. SMITH, MANN, PAYNE, SCAVELLO, SOLOBAY, STABACK, VULAKOVICH AND WHITE, MARCH 17, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, MARCH 17, 2009  

AN ACT

Establishing a grant program for shared municipal services;

conferring powers and duties upon the Department of Community

and Economic Development; and making an appropriation.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

CHAPTER 1

PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

Section 101.  Short title.

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

Municipal Services Grant Act.

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:

"Department."  The Department of Community and Economic

Development of the Commonwealth.

"Eligible municipality."  A city of the first class, second

class, second class A or third class, township of the first

class or second class, borough or incorporated town located

within this Commonwealth.

"Grant program."  The Shared Municipal Services Grant Program

established by this act.

"Shared service agreement."  Any agreement, by contract,

between two or more municipalities whereby the municipalities

involved cooperatively share one or more public services.

"Volunteer ambulance service."  Any nonprofit chartered

corporation, association or organization located in this

Commonwealth, not associated or affiliated with any volunteer

fire company or hospital and which is regularly engaged in the

provision of emergency medical services, including basic life

support or advanced life support services and the transportation

of patients. The term does 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 services and which may offer other

voluntary emergency services within this Commonwealth. Voluntary

emergency services provided by a volunteer fire company may

include voluntary ambulance and voluntary rescue services.

CHAPTER 3

SHARED MUNICIPAL SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM

Section 301.  Establishment.

The Shared Municipal Services Grant Program is established

and shall be administered by the department. Grants provided

under this program shall be used to improve and enhance the

quality and reduce the cost of municipal services by providing

financial assistance for the sharing of services.

Section 302.  Guidelines and procedures.

The department shall promulgate the rules, regulations,

guidelines, procedures and all applications necessary to

implement the grant program. The department shall submit the

rules, regulations, guidelines, procedures and applications to

the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the

Pennsylvania Bulletin and Pennsylvania Code within 90 days of

the effective date of this section.

Section 303.  Award of grants.

(a)  Authorization.--

(1)  The department may make grant awards to an eligible

municipality for the purpose of providing financial

assistance for implementing a shared service agreement.

(2)  Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent an

eligible municipality from using funds from a grant program

award for a shared service agreement for volunteer fire

company, volunteer ambulance or other emergency services.

(b)  Limits.--

(1)  No more than one grant award shall be provided for

each shared service agreement.

(2)  Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent

any municipality from receiving the direct benefit of more

than one grant award, provided that municipality has entered

into more than one shared service agreement.

(c)  Time for filing application and department action.--The

agency shall make available applications for grants under this

act to be submitted on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal

year.

CHAPTER 11

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 1101.  Appropriation.

The sum of $10,000,000, or as much thereof as may be

necessary, is appropriated to the Department of Community and

Economic Development for the fiscal year July 1, 2009, to June

30, 2010, to carry out the provisions of this act. No moneys

from this appropriation may be used for expenses or costs

incurred by the department for the administration of the grant

program.

Section 1102.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect July 1, 2009, or immediately,

whichever is later.