PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 259 PRINTER'S NO. 1419
No. 255 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY THOMPSON, ARMSTRONG, CORMAN, RAFFERTY, EARLL,
PILEGGI, MADIGAN, WENGER, WOZNIAK, LEMMOND, KASUNIC, BOSCOLA,
M. WHITE, ROBBINS, WAUGH, D. WHITE AND PIPPY,
FEBRUARY 11, 2005
SENATOR CORMAN, PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, AS AMENDED,
DECEMBER 13, 2005
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
2 act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
3 welfare laws of the Commonwealth," making repeals to
4 eliminate county boards of assistance; AND PROVIDING FOR AN <--
5 ADVISORY BOARD FOR COUNTY ASSISTANCE OFFICE.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Subdivisions (c) and (d) of Article IV of the act
9 of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare
10 Code, are repealed.
11 SECTION 2. ARTICLE IV OF THE ACT IS AMENDED BY ADDING A <--
12 SUBDIVISION TO READ:
13 (N) ADVISORY BOARD FOR COUNTY ASSISTANCE OFFICE
14 SECTION 494. ESTABLISHMENT.
15 FOR EACH COUNTY OF THE FIRST CLASS AND EACH COUNTY OF THE
16 SECOND CLASS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH, AN ADVISORY BOARD SHALL BE
17 ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE ANY NECESSARY ADVICE TO THE COUNTY
18 ASSISTANCE OFFICE, UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE. THE
1 ADVISORY BOARD SHALL ADVISE ON MEASURES TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE
2 AND SELF-DEPENDENCY OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ELIGIBLE FOR
3 ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
4 (1) PROVIDING ADVICE ON POLICY PROPOSED OR IMPLEMENTED
5 ON THE FEDERAL OR STATE LEVEL;
6 (2) METHODS TO SECURE REHABILITATIVE, REMEDIAL OR OTHER
7 CONSTRUCTIVE AID; OR
8 (3) THE ABSENCE OR INADEQUACY OF RESOURCES, THROUGH
9 DIRECT PROVISION OF SUCH AID.
10 EACH ADVISORY BOARD SHALL BE COMPOSED OF A MINIMUM OF FIVE
11 MEMBERS. THERE SHALL BE A MAXIMUM OF 11 MEMBERS ON ANY ADVISORY
12 BOARD, WHO SHALL SERVE A MAXIMUM TERM OF THREE YEARS. EACH
13 ADVISORY BOARD SHALL INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS FROM COMMUNITY
14 ORGANIZATIONS OR WITH EDUCATIONAL OR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
15 WITH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, JOB TRAINING AND ANY OTHER TYPES OF
16 SELF-DEPENDENCY PROGRAMS THAT WOULD ASSIST CARRYING OUT THE
17 GOALS OF THE WELFARE PROGRAM IN THIS COMMONWEALTH. ADVISORY
18 BOARD MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY, IN
19 CONSULTATION WITH THE LEGISLATORS WHO REPRESENT ALL OR PART OF
20 THE COUNTY. ANY VACANCY CAUSED BY THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERM
21 SHALL BE FILLED BY AN APPOINTMENT, IN THE MANNER PROVIDED, FOR A
22 TERM OF THREE YEARS, AND ANY VACANCY, OTHERWISE CAUSED, SHALL BE
23 FILLED FOR THE DURATION OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM BY APPOINTMENT, IN
24 THE SAME MANNER. ANY MEMBER OF AN ADVISORY BOARD WHO HAS SERVED
25 ALL OR ANY PORTIONS OF THREE CONSECUTIVE THREE-YEAR TERMS OR AS
26 A MEMBER OF A COUNTY BOARD OF ASSISTANCE SHALL BE INELIGIBLE FOR
27 FURTHER REAPPOINTMENT UNTIL AFTER ONE FULL TERM HAS PASSED. THE
28 MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD SHALL SERVE WITHOUT
29 COMPENSATION, BUT SHALL BE REIMBURSED ANY NECESSARY EXPENSES.
30 EACH ADVISORY BOARD SHALL ORGANIZE ANNUALLY AND ELECT FROM ITS
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1 MEMBERS A VICE CHAIRMAN AND A SECRETARY. THE CHAIRMAN, WHO SHALL
2 BE SELECTED BY THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC WELFARE, SHALL NOT SERVE
3 MORE THAN TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS. THE ADVISORY BOARD SHALL MEET
4 AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE
5 REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION. THE
6 DEPARTMENT SHALL DRAFT INTERIM GUIDELINES FOR THE ADVISORY
7 BOARDS TO OPERATE UNTIL SUCH REGULATIONS ARE PROMULGATED.
8 Section 2 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days. <--
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