Pennsylvania Act 2016-38 — SOLDIERS' GROVE - DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES, PRESERVATION OF SOLDIERS' GROVE AND CONSTRUCTION

Act text

Session of 2016

No. 2016-38

HB 1484

AN ACT

Amending the act of October 30, 1987 (P.L.375, No.75), entitled, "An act providing for the designation of certain trees and land on the grounds of the State Capitol in Harrisburg as "Soldiers' Grove" in honor of war veterans; imposing duties upon the Department of General Services; and making an appropriation," further providing for duties of Department of General Services and for appropriation; and providing for preservation of "Soldiers' Grove" and for construction.

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

Section 1. Section 2(b) of the act of October 30, 1987 (P.L.375, No.75), entitled "An act providing for the designation of certain trees and land on the grounds of the State Capitol in Harrisburg as " Soldiers ' Grove" in honor of war veterans; imposing duties upon the Department of General Services; and making an appropriation," is amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to read:

Section 2. Duties of Department of General Services.

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(b) Plaques.--

(1) The department shall arrange for the fabrication of [nine] appropriate bronze plaques in honor of veterans of the following:

(i) The American Revolutionary War.

(ii) The War of 1812.

(iii) The Mexican-American War.

(iv) The American Civil War.

(v) The Spanish-American War.

(vi) World War I.

(vii) World War II.

(viii) The Korean War.

(ix) The Vietnam Conflict.

(x) Any war or armed conflict officially engaged in by the United States commencing after the Vietnam Conflict.

(2) The department shall also arrange for the fabrication of an appropriate bronze plaque to honor the unknown veterans of the wars and conflicts enumerated in paragraph (1).

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(d) Medal of Honor Memorial.--The Department of General Services shall arrange for the placement of permanent low-lying decorative chain barriers within the Medal of Honor Memorial Gardens at the end of each concrete arc representing the Tides of War.

(e) Signage.--The Department of General Services shall arrange to have signs placed conspicuously around "Soldiers' Grove" reminding people to respect the hallowed grounds of the Medal of Honor Memorial Gardens. The signs should read as follows:

At All Times, Please Remember This Memorial Is Hallowed Ground.

Section 1.1. Section 4 of the act is amended to read:

Section 4. Appropriation.

(a) Department.-- The sum of $25,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of General Services to carry out the purposes of this act.

(b) Funding.--An improvement required under this act may be undertaken only if adequate funding is available.

Section 2. The act is amended by adding sections to read:

Section 4.1. Preservation of "Soldiers' Grove."

The Department of General Services shall arrange for the appropriate preservation of "Soldiers' Grove" as provided for in the report issued pursuant to House Resolution 331 adopted June 21, 2011. Specifically, the Department of General Services shall utilize the third recommendation contained on page 18 of the report relating to the concept of erecting "Pillars of Time."

Section 4.2. Construction.

Nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the authority of the Department of General Services to comply with the provisions of this act while conforming to the original design of the Medal of Honor Memorial Gardens to the greatest extent possible.

Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

APPROVED--The 8th day of June, A.D. 2016.

TOM WOLF