PRINTER'S NO. 745
No. 677 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY TRELLO, KUKOVICH, LETTERMAN, STISH, DeLUCA,
WOZNIAK, MELIO, D. W. SNYDER, TIGUE, NAHILL, COLAIZZO,
LAUGHLIN, HECKLER, DISTLER, MERRY, RAYMOND, MAYERNIK,
PISTELLA, KASUNIC, CORNELL, LUCYK, ROBBINS, VAN HORNE, VROON,
MORRIS, F. TAYLOR, BELARDI, COLE, CAWLEY, LEVDANSKY,
TANGRETTI, GIGLIOTTI, FREEMAN, GANNON, LASHINGER, HERMAN,
ANGSTADT, JACKSON, STEIGHNER, CIVERA, CESSAR, VEON, McCALL,
JAMES, CORRIGAN, DEMPSEY, GODSHALL, J. L. WRIGHT, JADLOWIEC,
GLADECK, PETRARCA, BILLOW, DIETTERICK, MICOZZIE, REBER,
JOHNSON, RUDY, BURD, HESS, GRUPPO, ARGALL, COY, STABACK,
BELFANTI, SCHULER, BOYES, FREIND, HASAY, McVERRY,
E. Z. TAYLOR, SEMMEL, FARGO, OLASZ AND LEH, MARCH 7, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MARCH 7, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036, No.208), entitled,
2 as amended, "An act authorizing the indebtedness, with the
3 approval of the electors, of twenty-five million dollars for
4 loans to volunteer fire companies, volunteer ambulance
5 services and volunteer rescue squads for the purpose of
6 establishing or modernizing facilities to house fire fighting
7 apparatus equipment, ambulances, and rescue vehicles, and for
8 purchasing new fire fighting apparatus equipment, ambulances,
9 and rescue vehicles, protective and communications equipment,
10 and any other accessory equipment necessary for the proper
11 performance of such organizations' duties," adjusting loan
12 limits.
13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 hereby enacts as follows:
15 Section 1. Section 3 of the act of July 15, 1976 (P.L.1036,
16 No.208), known as the Volunteer Fire Company, Ambulance Service
17 and Rescue Squad Assistance Act, is amended by adding a
18 definition to read:
1 Section 3. Definitions.--As used in this act:
2 * * *
3 "Rescue vehicle" means any vehicle, whether a motor vehicle
4 or a watercraft, used for rescue services.
5 * * *
6 Section 2. Section 4(a)(1), (2) and (6) and (b) of the act,
7 amended June 13, 1980 (P.L.217, No.65) and May 11, 1982
8 (P.L.407, No.118), are amended to read:
9 Section 4. Assistance to Volunteer Fire Companies, Ambulance
10 Service and Rescue Squads.--(a) The department is hereby
11 authorized, upon application of any volunteer fire company,
12 volunteer ambulance service and volunteer rescue squad, to make
13 loans to said volunteer companies for the following purposes:
14 (1) Establishing or modernizing facilities that house fire
15 fighting equipment, ambulance or rescue vehicles. The amount of
16 a loan for establishing or modernizing facilities made to any
17 one volunteer fire company, ambulance service or rescue squad
18 shall not exceed 50% of the total cost of the facilities or
19 modernization or [$50,000] $75,000, whichever is less, and a
20 notarized financial statement filed under subsection (c) shall
21 show that the applicant has available 20% of the total cost of
22 the facilities in unobligated funds. Proceeds of the loan shall
23 be used only for purposes of land acquisition or construction,
24 and shall not be used for payment of fees for design, planning,
25 preparation of applications, or any other cost not directly
26 attributable to land acquisition or construction.
27 (2) Purchasing fire fighting apparatus, ambulances or rescue
28 vehicles. The amount of a loan made for purchasing fire fighting
29 apparatus, to any one volunteer fire company shall not exceed
30 [$50,000] $100,000 for any single fire fighting apparatus
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1 equipment or utility or special service vehicle or heavy duty
2 rescue vehicle as defined by regulation, or 50% of the total
3 cost of the equipment or vehicle, whichever is less. The amount
4 of a loan made to any one volunteer fire company, ambulance
5 service or rescue squad for any ambulance or light duty rescue
6 vehicle as defined by regulation shall not exceed $40,000 and
7 for a watercraft rescue vehicle shall not exceed [$25,000]
8 $15,000 or 50% of the cost of the ambulance or rescue vehicle,
9 whichever is less, and a notarized financial statement filed
10 under subsection (c) shall show that the applicant has available
11 20% of the total cost of the vehicle in unobligated funds.
12 * * *
13 (6) Purchasing of used fire fighting apparatus, equipment,
14 used ambulances, used rescue vehicles, used communications
15 equipment, used accessory equipment or used protective
16 equipment: Provided, however, That the used vehicles and
17 equipment shall meet the National Fire Protection Association
18 (NFPA) standards: And, provided further, That loans for the
19 purchase of a used single apparatus equipment shall not exceed
20 $60,000 or 80% of the total cost of the equipment, whichever is
21 less.
22 * * *
23 (b) Loans made by the department shall be for a period of
24 not more than [ten] 15 years, and any loan of the amount of
25 [$10,000] $15,000 or less shall be for a period of not more than
26 five years. Loans shall be subject to the payment of interest at
27 2% per annum and shall be subject to such security as shall be
28 determined by the department. The total amount of interest
29 earned by the investment or reinvestment of all or any part of
30 the principal of any loan shall be returned to the department
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1 and transferred to the Volunteer Companies Loan Fund, and shall
2 not be credited as payment of principal or interest on the loan.
3 The minimum amount of any loan shall be [$1,000] $5,000.
4 * * *
5 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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