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                                 SENATE AMENDED
        PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1308, 2462, 2714,        PRINTER'S NO. 3737
        3713

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1155 Session of 1999


        INTRODUCED BY HERMAN, BARD, ROSS, LESCOVITZ AND COY,
           APRIL 7, 1999

        AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, JUNE 13, 2000

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of February 1, 1966 (1965 P.L.1656, No.581),
     2     entitled "An act concerning boroughs, and revising, amending
     3     and consolidating the law relating to boroughs," PROVIDING     <--
     4     FOR ATTENDANCE AT NATIONAL OR STATE LODGE OF POLICE OFFICERS;
     5     renaming special school police as school crossing guards;
     6     FURTHER PROVIDING FOR SPECIFIC POWERS OF A BOROUGH RELATING    <--
     7     TO TOWING EQUIPMENT; providing for school crossing guards'
     8     powers and duties, for filing of budget and for uniform
     9     forms; and making editorial changes.

    10     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    11  hereby enacts as follows:
    12     Section 1.  Section 1127 SECTIONS 1127 AND 1202(51) of the     <--
    13  act of February 1, 1966 (1965 P.L.1656, No.581), known as The
    14  Borough Code, is ARE amended to read:                             <--
    15     SECTION 1.  THE ACT OF FEBRUARY 1, 1966 (1965 P.L.1656,        <--
    16  NO.581), KNOWN AS THE BOROUGH CODE, IS AMENDED BY ADDING A
    17  SECTION TO READ:
    18     SECTION 705.  NATIONAL OR STATE LODGE OF POLICE OFFICERS.--
    19  ANY BOROUGH COUNCIL MAY GRANT ANY BOROUGH EMPLOYE, WHO IS A DULY
    20  ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY STATE LODGE OF POLICE OFFICERS, OR

     1  ANY LOCAL LODGE BEING A PART OF ANY NATIONAL OR STATE LODGE OF
     2  POLICE OFFICERS, A LEAVE OF ABSENCE WITH PAY TO ATTEND ANY
     3  ANNUAL NATIONAL OR STATE CONVENTION OR CONFERENCE OF SUCH LODGE,
     4  FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED FOUR DAYS, INCLUDING NECESSARY TIME
     5  FOR TRAVEL TO AND FROM SAME. ANY EMPLOYE RECEIVING TIME OFF WITH
     6  PAY UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL UPON HIS RETURN SUBMIT TO HIS
     7  IMMEDIATE SUPERIOR A CERTIFICATE TESTIFYING TO HIS ATTENDANCE AT
     8  THE CONVENTION OR CONFERENCE, SIGNED BY AT LEAST TWO RESPONSIBLE
     9  OFFICERS OF THE CONVENTION OR CONFERENCE. NO MORE THAN TWO
    10  ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WHO ARE EMPLOYES OF THE SAME BOROUGH MAY
    11  ATTEND ANY SUCH CONVENTION OR CONFERENCE ON BEHALF OF ANY SUCH
    12  LODGE UNDER THIS SECTION.
    13     SECTION 2.  SECTIONS 1127 AND 1202(51) OF THE ACT ARE AMENDED
    14  TO READ:
    15     Section 1127.  [Special School Police.--] School Crossing
    16  Guards.--(a)  Upon request of the board of school directors of
    17  the school district in which a borough is located, the borough
    18  council may appoint [special school police] school crossing
    19  guards who shall have the duty of controlling and directing
    20  traffic at or near schools and who shall be in suitable and
    21  distinctive uniform. [and shall display a badge or other sign of
    22  authority. Such police shall be vested with all the power of
    23  local police officers and while] While on duty, these crossing
    24  guards shall be under and subject to the direction of the mayor.
    25  They shall serve at the pleasure of the borough council, except
    26  as noted in subsection (b), and shall not come within the civil
    27  service provisions of this act and shall not be entitled to
    28  participate in any [police] BOROUGH pension plan or plans now in  <--
    29  effect or hereafter effective. The compensation of the school
    30  [police] crossing guards, if any, shall be fixed by the borough
    19990H1155B3737                  - 2 -

     1  council and shall be jointly paid by the borough council and the
     2  board of school directors, in a ratio to be determined by the
     3  borough council and board of school directors. If the borough
     4  council and board of school directors are unable to determine
     5  the ratio of compensation of the [police] crossing guards to be
     6  paid by the council and the board, each shall pay one-half of
     7  the compensation of such [police] crossing guards. Auxiliary
     8  policemen, appointed as prescribed by general law, may be
     9  designated to serve as [special school police.] crossing guards.
    10     (b)  The borough council may approve an ordinance allowing a
    11  board of school directors to assume hiring and oversight of
    12  school crossing guards. Before the borough council may approve
    13  such an ordinance, the board of directors of the school district
    14  shall approve a resolution requesting the authority to assume
    15  the hiring and oversight of school crossing guards. The
    16  ordinance shall outline how the police department will provide
    17  any necessary training and assistance of the school crossing
    18  guards while on duty. Such school crossing guards shall be
    19  authorized only in the management of traffic and pedestrians in
    20  and around areas identified by the police department and the
    21  school district superintendent or his or her designees. The
    22  school crossing guards shall not come within the civil service
    23  provision of this act, nor shall they fall under the bargaining
    24  unit of the school district nor as BE CONSIDERED an employe as    <--
    25  defined under section 1101-A of the act of March 10, 1949
    26  (P.L.30, No.14), known as the "Public School Code of 1949," OR A  <--
    27  "SCHOOL EMPLOYEE" AS DEFINED UNDER 24 PA.C.S. § 8102 (RELATING
    28  TO DEFINITIONS), or under any plans hereafter effective. Once
    29  the ordinance receives approval by the borough council, the
    30  school district shall assume the cost of compensation, including
    19990H1155B3737                  - 3 -

     1  fixing such compensation, if any, of the school crossing guards.
     2  Auxiliary policemen, appointed as prescribed by general law, may
     3  be hired by the school district to serve as school crossing
     4  guards. The board of school directors shall notify the borough
     5  council of those hired to serve as school crossing guards and
     6  request the necessary training or assistance be provided as
     7  outlined by the ordinance.
     8     SECTION 1202.  SPECIFIC POWERS.--THE POWERS OF THE BOROUGH     <--
     9  SHALL BE VESTED IN THE CORPORATE AUTHORITIES. AMONG THE SPECIFIC
    10  POWERS OF THE BOROUGH SHALL BE THE FOLLOWING, AND IN THE
    11  EXERCISE OF ANY OF SUCH POWERS INVOLVING THE ENACTMENT OF ANY
    12  ORDINANCE OR THE MAKING OF ANY REGULATION, RESTRICTION OR
    13  PROHIBITION, THE BOROUGH MAY PROVIDE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT THEREOF
    14  AND MAY PRESCRIBE PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF OR FOR THE
    15  FAILURE TO CONFORM THERETO:
    16     * * *
    17     (51)  TOWING EQUIPMENT. TO PURCHASE VEHICLES AND OTHER
    18  EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR THE TOWING OF MOTOR VEHICLES, TRACTORS,
    19  AND OTHER VEHICLES FROM ROADS, STREETS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY OF
    20  THE BOROUGH AND TO IMPOSE FEES THEREFOR WHENEVER SUCH TOWING
    21  EQUIPMENT IS USED FOR THE LAWFUL REMOVAL OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND
    22  OTHER VEHICLES FROM HIGHWAYS, ROADS, STREETS, AND PUBLIC
    23  PROPERTY OF THE BOROUGH AND/OR TO AUTHORIZE OR CONTRACT WITH ONE
    24  OR MORE COMMERCIAL TOWERS AS THE OFFICIAL TOWERS FOR THE BOROUGH
    25  FOR THE LAWFUL REMOVAL OF MOTOR VEHICLES, TRACTORS AND OTHER
    26  VEHICLES FROM HIGHWAYS, ROADS, STREETS AND PUBLIC PROPERTY OF
    27  THE BOROUGH AND TO IMPOSE FEES IN THE SAME MANNER AS HEREBY
    28  AUTHORIZED WHEN THE TOWING IS PERFORMED WITH BOROUGH VEHICLES
    29  AND EQUIPMENT. THIS CLAUSE SHALL APPLY ONLY WHEN THE BOROUGH IS
    30  REQUESTING A VEHICLE TO BE TOWED. IN ALL OTHER CASES, THE OWNER
    19990H1155B3737                  - 4 -

     1  OR OPERATOR OF A VEHICLE SHALL BE PERMITTED TO SELECT AND PAY
     2  FOR THE TOWER.
     3     * * *
     4     Section 2 3.  Sections 1310, 1311 and 1314 of the act,         <--
     5  amended October 9, 1967 (P.L.399, No.181), are amended to read:
     6     Section 1310.  Adoption of Budget; Tax Ordinance.--Upon
     7  completion of the budget, containing the estimated receipts and
     8  expenditures, and its adoption by motion in council, which shall
     9  not be later than December thirty-first, it shall be the duty of
    10  the council to adopt an ordinance levying the taxes referred to
    11  in this act for the fiscal year for approval of the mayor or
    12  passage over his veto.
    13     [Copy of the budget, together with the tax ordinance, shall
    14  be filed with the Department of Community Affairs by the
    15  secretary of the borough, within fifteen days after the adoption
    16  of the tax ordinance.]
    17     Section 1311.  Amending Budget; Notice.--During the month of
    18  January next following any municipal election the council of any
    19  borough may amend the budget and the levy and tax rate to
    20  conform with its amended budget. A period of ten days' public
    21  inspection at the office of the borough secretary of the
    22  proposed amended budget after notice by the borough secretary to
    23  that effect is published once in a newspaper as provided in
    24  section 109 of this act, shall intervene between the proposed
    25  amended budget and the adoption thereof. Any amended budget must
    26  be adopted by council on or before the fifteenth day of
    27  February.
    28     [Within fifteen days after the adoption of an amended budget
    29  the borough secretary shall file a copy thereof in the office of
    30  the Department of Community Affairs.]
    19990H1155B3737                  - 5 -

     1     Section 1314.  Uniform [Budget and] Financial Report;
     2  Forms.--The uniform forms for [the annual budget, the annual
     3  auditors' report and] the annual financial statement required to
     4  be made by the auditors or the controller shall be prepared by a
     5  committee consisting of four representatives from the
     6  Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, and the Secretary of
     7  Community [Affairs,] and Economic Development or his agent.
     8     Such representatives of boroughs shall be appointed by the
     9  president of the organization. Such representatives shall be
    10  chosen from among the finance officers or other officers of the
    11  borough who have knowledge of their fiscal procedures. As far as
    12  possible, they shall be chosen to represent boroughs in the
    13  various population groups. The president of the organization
    14  shall supply to the Department of Community [Affairs] and
    15  Economic Development the names and addresses of such
    16  representatives immediately upon their appointment.
    17     Such representatives shall serve without compensation, but
    18  shall be reimbursed by the Commonwealth for all necessary
    19  expenses incurred in attending meetings of the committee. The
    20  committee shall meet at the call of Secretary of Community
    21  [Affairs] and Economic Development, or his agent, who shall
    22  serve as chairman of the committee.
    23     [In preparing such uniform forms, the committee shall give
    24  careful consideration to the fiscal needs and procedures of
    25  boroughs of the various population groups, producing separate
    26  forms if necessary, to the end that such forms shall not be
    27  inconsistent with the general administrative practices of
    28  boroughs of various types and sizes.]
    29     It shall be the duty of the Secretary of Community [Affairs]
    30  and Economic Development, or his agent, to see to it that the
    19990H1155B3737                  - 6 -

     1  forms required by this article are prepared in cooperation with
     2  such committee. In the event that the committee should for any
     3  reason fail to furnish such cooperation, the Secretary of
     4  Community [Affairs] and Economic Development, or his agent,
     5  shall prepare the forms. After their preparation, he shall issue
     6  such forms and distribute them annually, as needed to the proper
     7  officers of each borough.
     8     Section 3 4.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.           <--















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