CORRECTIVE REPRINT
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3714 PRINTER'S NO. 3750
No. 2575 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY GANNON, ADOLPH, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF,
CAPPELLI, L. I. COHEN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, DeLUCA, DONATUCCI,
FRANKEL, HORSEY, KIRKLAND, McGEEHAN, MICOZZIE, PERZEL,
RAYMOND, READSHAW, ROBINSON, SANTONI, SCHRODER, SEMMEL,
SHANER, SOLOBAY, STERN, THOMAS, TRELLO, WALKO, WASHINGTON,
MACKERETH, SAINATO AND J. TAYLOR, APRIL 17, 2002
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 17, 2002
AN ACT
1 Establishing a loan program to install safety devices and
2 improve safety at convenience stores; providing for
3 additional duties of the Attorney General; establishing the
4 Community Convenience Store Protection Fund; and making an
5 appropriation.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Short title.
9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Community
10 Convenience Store Protection Act.
11 Section 2. Definitions.
12 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
13 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14 context clearly indicates otherwise:
15 "Community convenience store." A retail store which sells
16 all of the following items: fast foods, beverages, dairy
17 products, publications, grocery items, snacks, nonfood items and
1 motor fuel.
2 "Fund." The Community Convenience Store Protection Fund.
3 "Motor fuel." Gasoline or petroleum products necessary for
4 the proper operation of a motor vehicle.
5 Section 3. Program authority.
6 (a) General rule.--There is hereby established a loan
7 program for community convenience store owners to install
8 security devices and improve safety in community convenience
9 stores.
10 (b) Loan amount.--No loan issued under this act shall exceed
11 $15,000 for each community convenience store.
12 (c) Repayment and interest rate.--The Attorney General shall
13 determine a repayment schedule of not more than five years and
14 an interest rate not to exceed 7% per annum for loans under this
15 act.
16 Section 4. Eligibility for loans.
17 (a) General rule.--To be eligible to receive a loan under
18 this act, a community convenience store owner must submit an
19 application to the Attorney General including all of the
20 following:
21 (1) An assurance that security devices purchased from
22 funds received under this act shall be installed not later
23 than 30 days after receipt of such funds.
24 (2) If practicable, an assurance that the owner will
25 maintain an unobstructed view of the cash register from the
26 exterior of the store, removing any material that obstructs
27 that view.
28 (3) An assurance from the owner that the loan shall be
29 repaid in not more than five years.
30 (4) An assurance that each owner that operates, owns or
20020H2575B3750 - 2 -
1 rents an automatic teller machine on the store premises:
2 (i) Shall install 24-hour imaging surveillance, such
3 as installation of a time-lapse video device, of the
4 automatic teller machine.
5 (ii) Shall conduct ongoing maintenance, including
6 prompt replacement of video or film cassettes, of the
7 automatic teller machine imaging surveillance system.
8 (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive the loan, a
9 community convenience store owner must meet the following
10 qualifications:
11 (1) The owner may not own more than five community
12 convenience stores.
13 (2) The gross receipts of any one community convenience
14 store may not exceed $700,000 for the preceding fiscal year,
15 excluding proceeds from the sale of gasoline.
16 Section 5. Use of funds.
17 A loan received under this act shall be used to install any
18 of the following security devices:
19 (1) A video security system capable of 24-hour
20 surveillance.
21 (2) A drop safe or cash management device with
22 restricted access and posters that indicate not more than $50
23 is accessible to store personnel.
24 (3) A silent alarm system to alert local law enforcement
25 officers of a problem.
26 (4) Height markers at store exits.
27 Section 6. Report.
28 The Attorney General shall submit an annual report to the
29 chairman and the minority chairman of the Judiciary Committee of
30 the Senate and the chairman and the minority chairman of the
20020H2575B3750 - 3 -
1 Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives regarding
2 the number of loans, locations, amounts, terms and repayment
3 record of community convenience stores which receive funds under
4 this act.
5 Section 7. Community Convenience Store Protection Fund.
6 (a) Establishment.--There is established a separate account
7 in the State Treasury to be known as the Community Convenience
8 Store Protection Fund. The fund shall be used as the source for
9 the loans made under this act.
10 (b) Appropriation.--The sum of $2,000,000 is hereby
11 appropriated to the Attorney General on a continuing basis to
12 make loans, to pay the expenses of the Attorney General relating
13 to the program and to otherwise carry out this act.
14 Section 8. Enforcement.
15 The Attorney General has the power and duty to bring and
16 maintain an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to
17 enforce this act.
18 Section 9. Effective date.
19 This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.
D4L44SFL/20020H2575B3750 - 4 -