Bill Text: PA HB1713 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Imposing additional requirements for closure or sale of any State veterans home, center or school.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 18-10)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-06-22 - Re-committed to APPROPRIATIONS [HB1713 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1713-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2155
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1713 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY BARBIN, KORTZ, WATERS, OLIVER, MELIO, FAIRCHILD, KAUFFMAN, GEORGE, BROWN, MURPHY, DONATUCCI, PETRARCA, BOBACK, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HESS, HORNAMAN, PARKER, PASHINSKI, PHILLIPS, SWANGER AND WATSON, JUNE 15, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 15, 2009
AN ACT
Imposing additional requirements for closure or sale of any
State veterans home, center or school.
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 Veterans
Homes, Centers and Schools Emergency Preservation 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:
"Center." The Southeastern Veterans Center, the Gino J. Merli
Veterans Center and the Southwestern Veterans Center.
"Closure." The closing, selling, leasing, transfer of
ownership or operational control of a veterans home or center or
the Scotland School for Veterans’ Children or a drastic
reduction in educational services or staff or any other act or
omission that renders a veterans home or center or the Scotland
School for Veterans' Children inoperable.
"Department." The Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs of the Commonwealth.
"Home." The Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home, the
Hollidaysburg Veterans Home and the Delaware Valley Veterans
Home.
"School." The Scotland School for Veterans’ Children.
Section 3. Study and findings.
(a) Study.—-Prior to a proposed closure of a home, center or
school, the department shall conduct a study, in consultation
with the facilities' officials, the State Veterans' Commission
and groups representing spouses, parents or guardians of
veterans and veterans' children.
(b) Findings.--Prior to a proposed closure of a home, center
or school, the department shall:
(1) Identify the cost of all upgrades, renovations and
additions made to the facility within the last ten years.
(2) Identify the efficiency of the operations of the
home, center or school and the specific method of calculating
the per patient or the per student cost.
(3) Identify cost-saving measures needed to produce a
more cost-effective operation of the home, center or school.
(4) Identify methods as to how the Commonwealth can best
continue providing fiscal support to the home, center or
school at the facility's location.
(5) Identify marketing steps that could be taken to
improve access for veterans and veterans' children to
services provided.
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(6) Identify alternative uses of the home, center or
school facilities and acreage during summer months or other
off-peak times.
(7) Determine a timetable necessary to transfer veterans
or veterans' children if closure is authorized by the General
Assembly and the Governor.
(c) Final report.—-The department shall submit a final
report with the required findings and recommendations to the
Governor, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, the Veterans Affairs and
Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the Veterans
Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of
Representatives one year prior to any proposed closure to
provide for appropriate legislative oversight.
Section 4. Action.
(a) Review of reports.--A home, center or school shall
remain open and continue marketing and accepting applications
for veterans or veteran's children while the Veterans Affairs
and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the
Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the
House of Representatives review the report and take recommended
appropriate action to the General Assembly.
(b) Injunction.--Any veteran or veteran's child that would
be affected by the closure of a home, center or school shall
have the right to institute an action in equity to enjoin any
person from taking any action prohibited under this act.
(c) Certification.--No home, center or school shall be
listed for sale as surplus property unless the department
delivers certification of compliance with this act to the
President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
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Representatives, the Chief Clerk of the Senate and the Chief
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(d) Single subject legislation.--No closure of any home,
center or school may occur unless the bill for closure includes
no other subject, in strict conformance with section 3 of
Article III of the Constitution of Pennsylvania.
(e) Appropriations bill or codification; limitation.--No
closure of any home, center or school may be voted on as part of
a general appropriation bill or a bill codifying or compiling
the law or part thereof.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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