Bill Text: PA HB237 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for determination of a rural area in certain laws, programs and studies.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 28-9)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-02-04 - Referred to LOCAL GOVERNMENT [HB237 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB237-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 247
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 237 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY PICKETT, BAKER, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CAUSER, CLYMER, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, HENNESSEY, HESS, M. KELLER, MAJOR, MILLARD, MILLER, PAYNE, PEIFER, PERRY, PHILLIPS, RAPP, ROHRER, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, STABACK, STERN, STEVENSON, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WANSACZ, WATSON AND YOUNGBLOOD, FEBRUARY 4, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 4, 2009
AN ACT
Providing for determination of a rural area in certain laws,
programs and studies.
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 Rural
Definition 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:
"Authority." An authority created by a county or
municipality pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 56 (relating to
municipal authorities).
"Commonwealth agencies." Any of the following:
(1) A department, authority, commission, committee,
council, board, bureau, division, office or other entity in
the executive branch of the Commonwealth.
(2) A Commonwealth task force, center, board,
commission, agency or council that includes members appointed
by the Governor or by an appointee of the Governor,
including, but not limited to, the Center for Rural
Pennsylvania.
"Law." A Federal or State statute, regulation, program or
policy that does not preclude the Commonwealth from defining
"rural" for purposes of implementing that Federal or State
statute, regulation, program or policy.
"Population density." The number of inhabitants per square
land mile as determined by the official report of the Federal
decennial census as revised every ten years.
"Program." A Federal, State or a joint Federal-State program
that is administered by a Commonwealth agency and funded, in
whole or in part, by an appropriation enacted by the General
Assembly.
"Rural area." When a law has reference to:
(1) A rural county or rural school district, the term
shall mean a county or school district with a population
density that is less than the population density of this
Commonwealth.
(2) A rural municipality or a rural authority, the term
shall mean a municipality or an authority with a population
density that is less than the population density of this
Commonwealth or a municipality or authority with a total
population of less than 2,500 unless more than 50% of the
population resides in an urbanized area as defined and as
subsequently revised by the United States Bureau of the
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Census.
(3) A rural area other than an area specified in
paragraph (1) or (2), the term shall mean an area with a
population density that is less than the population density
of this Commonwealth.
Section 3. Entities and services.
Whenever a law employs the term "rural" to describe an entity
or service without reference to a geographical area, the term
shall apply to an entity that is located and services that are
furnished within a rural municipality. If the entity is located
in a nonrural municipality within a rural county, the entity
shall be deemed a rural entity if it provides substantial
services to the rural portion of the county.
Section 4. Administration of programs.
Whenever a law enacted after the effective date of this
section, including any program created or funded by a block
grant or State plan authorized pursuant to a general
appropriation act, employs the term "rural" or a definition that
includes the term "rural" in connection with the administration
of a program authorized or funded by that act, the Commonwealth
agency shall adhere to the provisions of "rural" set out in this
act in the administration of the program.
Section 5. Studies and evaluations.
Each Commonwealth agency shall employ the provisions relating
to "rural" contained in this act in the conduct of any study,
assessment or evaluation of conditions, funding or program
affecting rural areas and rural populations.
Section 6. Transition.
Whenever the official report of the Federal decennial census
establishes that a county, municipality, authority or school
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district has attained a population that removes it from the
definition of "rural" as defined in this act, that county,
municipality, authority or school district may adopt a
resolution to retain its status as a rural area for a two-year
period following the change in the census to the extent that the
retention of such rural status does not conflict with any
Federal statute, regulation or policy relating to the program.
Section 7. Coordination.
The Governor shall direct the Office of the Budget to
coordinate the administration of this act in consultation with
the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
Section 8. Consultation with Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
Each Commonwealth agency shall consult with the Center for
Rural Pennsylvania in connection with the administration of any
program and the conduct of any study that is subject to this
act.
Section 9. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 180 days.
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