Pennsylvania Act 1996-12 — MILITARY AFFAIRS (51 PA.C.S.) - OMNIBUS AMENDMENTS

Act text

Session of 1996

No. 1996-12

SB 712

AN ACT

Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the renaming of the Department of Military Affairs; providing for the issuance of certificates relating to release or discharge and for the use or recycling of office supplies and materials.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 701 of Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

§ 701. Overall powers of department.

(a) Powers and duties.-- The department shall continue to exercise the powers and perform the duties by law vested in and imposed upon the Adjutant General and the department.

(b) Designation.--The Department of Military Affairs is designated as the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Contracts, deeds and official actions by the department shall not be affected by the use of the designation by the department as the Department of Military Affairs. The department may continue to use the name Department of Military Affairs on stationery or any official documents until existing supplies are exhausted. The department may substitute the title Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for the Department of Military Affairs on its documents and materials on such schedule as it deems appropriate.

Section 2. Section 9201 of Title 51 is amended by adding a subsection to read:

§ 9201. Certified copies of documents furnished without charge.

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(d) Certificates relating to release or discharge.--The department, upon request, shall provide one certified, true copy of each soldier's Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty to the Director of Veterans' Affairs of the county where the soldier resided at the time of enlistment or to the soldier or the soldier's representative free of any charge.

Section 3. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs shall continue to use or recycle all forms, stationery, business cards and other office supplies or materials which contain references to its predecessor department until the existing supplies and materials are depleted.

Section 4. Regulations promulgated by the Adjutant General or the Department of Military Affairs heretofore shall remain in full force and effect as regulations of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and references in such regulations to the department or the Department of Military Affairs shall be deemed a reference to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Within 30 days of enactment of this act, the Adjutant General shall cause notice of the change of the name of the department to be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Section 5. The amendment of 51 Pa.C.S. § 9201 shall apply to Certificates of Release or Discharge From Active Duty issued on and after the effective date of this act.

Section 6. Except for the amendment of 51 Pa.C.S. § 9201, this act shall be retroactive to December 21, 1995.

Section 7. This act shall take effect as follows:

(1) The amendment of 51 Pa.C.S. § 9201 shall take effect in 60 days.

(2) Section 5 of this act shall take effect in 60 days.

(3) The remainder of this act shall take effect immediately.

APPROVED--The 21st day of March, A. D. 1996.

THOMAS J. RIDGE