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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, ALLOWAY AND RAFFERTY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FEBRUARY 10, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Providing for cooperation between political subdivisions and for |
2 | the award of grants to recognize such cooperation. |
3 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
4 | hereby enacts as follows: |
5 | Section 1. Short title. |
6 | This act shall be known and may be cited as the Political |
7 | Subdivision Communication and Cooperation Act. |
8 | Section 2. Definitions. |
9 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
10 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
11 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
12 | "Department." The Department of Community and Economic |
13 | Development of the Commonwealth. |
14 | "Governing body." The council in a city, borough and |
15 | incorporated town, the board of commissioners in a county, the |
16 | board of commissioners in a township of the first class, the |
17 | board of supervisors in a township of the second class, or the |
18 | legislative policymaking body in a home rule municipality and |
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1 | the board of school directors in a school district. |
2 | "Municipality." A city, borough, incorporated town, township |
3 | or other similar home rule charter or optional plan |
4 | municipality. |
5 | Section 3. Joint meetings. |
6 | (a) Counties.--At least once every three months, the |
7 | governing body of a county shall participate in a joint meeting |
8 | with the governing body of at least one other contiguous county. |
9 | (b) Municipalities.--At least once every three months, the |
10 | governing body of a municipality shall participate in a joint |
11 | meeting with the governing body of at least one other contiguous |
12 | municipality. |
13 | (c) School district.--At least once every three months, the |
14 | governing body of a school district shall participate in a joint |
15 | meeting with the governing body of each municipality that is |
16 | situate partly or wholly within the school district. |
17 | (d) Nature of discussions.--At these joint meetings, the |
18 | members of the governing body may discuss items including, but |
19 | not limited to, areas of common interest, mutual goals, current |
20 | or proposed programs, potential cost-cutting efforts and the |
21 | ability to achieve greater economies by working in a cooperative |
22 | fashion. |
23 | (e) Reports.--By February 1 of each year, each county, |
24 | municipality and school district shall submit a one-page report |
25 | summarizing any meetings held under to this act to the |
26 | department. |
27 | (f) Existing forums.--Participation in an existing |
28 | association, organization or forum shall be an acceptable |
29 | meeting for the purposes of this act as long as a contiguous |
30 | county, municipality or school district is involved and the |
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1 | entire governing body is able to participate in the meeting. |
2 | (g) Notice.--Each year the department shall send a notice to |
3 | any county, municipality and school district that fails to |
4 | participate in a meeting required by this act. The notice shall |
5 | also note the benefits and cost savings that may be achieved by |
6 | communicating with neighboring jurisdictions and participating |
7 | in cooperative programs. |
8 | Section 4. Recognition of effort. |
9 | (a) General rule.--Each year, as part of the Governor's |
10 | Award for Local Government Excellence, the Governor's Center for |
11 | Local Government Services shall review the reports submitted by |
12 | political subdivisions and recognize the most significant and |
13 | successful intergovernmental cooperation effort. The Governor's |
14 | Center for Local Government Services may request additional |
15 | information on intergovernmental cooperation efforts in order to |
16 | determine which project or projects to recognize. |
17 | (b) Grants.--The department shall provide grants from funds |
18 | appropriated to it to support the projects the Governor's Center |
19 | for Local Government Services has chosen to recognize under this |
20 | act. The department shall determine the number and amount of the |
21 | grants. |
22 | Section 5. Effective date. |
23 | This act shall take effect January 1, 2012, or immediately, |
24 | whichever is later. |
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