Bill Text: PA SB697 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requiring reports by certain recipients of public funds for economic development; and providing for powers and duties of the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 8-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-27 - Referred to COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT [SB697 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-SB697-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 777
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 697 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, PILEGGI, RAFFERTY, WARD, PIPPY, BOSCOLA, ERICKSON, BROWNE, O'PAKE AND D. WHITE, MARCH 27, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MARCH 27, 2009
AN ACT
Requiring reports by certain recipients of public funds for
economic development; and providing for powers and duties of
the Department of Community and Economic Development.
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 Economic
Development Accountability 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:
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Development subsidy." An expenditure of public funds with a
value of at least $25,000 for the purpose of stimulating
economic development within this Commonwealth, including, but
not limited to, a bond, grant, loan, loan guarantee, tax
increment financing, fee waiver, land price subsidy and matching
fund.
"Full-time job." A job in which an individual is employed by
a recipient corporation for at least 35 hours per week.
"Part-time job." A job in which an individual is employed by
a recipient corporation for fewer than 35 hours per week.
"Project site." The site of a project for which a
development subsidy is provided.
"Recipient." A person, association, corporation, joint
venture, partnership or other business entity that receives a
development subsidy through the Department of Community and
Economic Development.
"Temporary job." A job in which an individual is hired for a
season or for a limited period of time.
Section 3. Annual economic development reporting.
(a) Report required.--The department shall require any
person who is the recipient of a development subsidy to submit
an annual report beginning 12 months after the subsidy is
granted and every year thereafter, so long as the recipient is
receiving the subsidy or until all requirements of accepting the
subsidy are satisfied.
(b) Content of report.--The report shall include:
(1) The amount of development subsidy received in the
previous year.
(2) The total amount of development subsidies that have
been received by the recipient and the program under which
the subsidy was granted.
(3) Information relating to whether or not the
requirements of accepting the development subsidy are being
satisfied, including any provisions requiring or relating to
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participation of women and minorities.
(4) Number of employees of the recipient, including an
increase or reduction in the number of employees over the
previous year, broken down by full-time, part-time and
temporary jobs.
(5) Whether the recipient is delinquent in the payment
of any State, county or local taxes, the type of tax and the
taxing authority to which the tax is owed.
(c) Forms.--The department shall develop the necessary forms
for recipients to fulfill the requirements of this act and may
require additional information necessary to meet the
requirements of this act.
Section 4. Requirements of department.
(a) Project site visit.--The department shall conduct an
annual project site visit for each recipient who receives a
development subsidy of more than $250,000 during a year. During
the visit the department shall have access to all necessary
information to determine compliance with the requirements of the
development subsidy that was granted to the recipient.
(b) Standards of economic development subsidies.--Every five
years the department shall review the economic development
benchmarks and performance measures of each development subsidy
program overseen by the department and whether or not the goals
of the development subsidies are being met. These benchmarks and
performance measures shall be published on the department's
Internet website.
(c) Annual report on development subsidies.--No later than
three months after the end of the Commonwealth's fiscal year,
the department shall prepare and submit to the General Assembly
a development subsidy report for the previous year. The report
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shall present all types of expenditures for economic development
during the prior fiscal year, including, but not limited to:
(1) For development subsidies greater than $5,000, the
amount of each development subsidy program overseen by the
department.
(2) A breakdown by program of the name of each recipient
who received a development subsidy and the amount of the
subsidy.
(3) A detailed review on whether the requirements for
the development subsidy program have been met by each
recipient, which review shall include checking with other
appropriate agencies of the Commonwealth to verify job
retention, creation and loss.
(4) In cases where requirements of a development subsidy
have not been fulfilled by a recipient, the action the
department has taken against the recipient, including, but
not limited to:
(i) Whether the department issued or waived a
penalty.
(ii) Whether the department revoked the development
subsidy.
(iii) How much of the development subsidy was
returned by the recipient.
(d) Development subsidy under $5,000.--Any development
subsidy of $5,000 or less shall not be itemized under subsection
(c).
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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