Pennsylvania Act 2009-52 — RURAL PENNSYLVANIA REVITALIZATION ACT - BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND GRANTS

Act text

Session of 2009

No. 2009-52

SB 607

AN ACT

Amending the act of June 30, 1987 (P.L.163, No.16), entitled "An act providing for the revitalization of rural Pennsylvania; establishing the Center for Rural Pennsylvania; providing for rural education partnerships and adult literacy programs; allocating funds appropriated to the Department of Commerce for a Regional Center for Continuing Education of Health Science Practitioners in western Pennsylvania; making appropriations; and making a repeal," in Center for Rural Pennsylvania, further providing for board of directors and for grants.

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

Section 1. Sections 302 and 304 of the act of June 30, 1987 (P.L.163, No.16), known as the Rural Pennsylvania Revitalization Act, are amended to read:

Section 302. Board of directors.

(a) Members.--The Center for Rural Pennsylvania shall be governed by a board of directors which shall consist of 11 members. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members from the House of Representatives, one from the majority party and one from the minority party. The President pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint two members from the Senate, one from the majority party and one from the minority party. Two members shall be representatives of universities in the State System of Higher Education. One member shall be from The Pennsylvania State University. One member shall be from the University of Pittsburgh. One member shall be the Director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. The Governor shall appoint two members from among the memberships of the following Statewide organizations: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, Pennsylvania Grange Association[, Pennsylvania Farmers' Association and Pennsylvania Rural Coalition] and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau .

(b) Terms.--The term of office of all members of the board shall be two years. Each member shall be eligible to be reappointed to the board.

(c) Meetings; quorum.--The board shall meet at least every four months, or as often as it deems necessary. [Six members] A simple majority of the duly qualified members of the board shall constitute a quorum.

(d) Expenses.--The members of the board, except for the director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, shall serve without salary or compensation, but shall be entitled to such expenses as are reasonable and necessary to the performance of their duties.

Section 304. Grants.

(a) Eligibility.--Grants shall be available only to the qualified faculty members of the various colleges and university members of the State System of Higher Education and the current land grant university and the regional campuses of the University of Pittsburgh .

(b) Amounts.--No grant shall exceed the sum of [$50,000] $60,000 .

(c) Subjects.--The subject areas of the grant program are as follows:

(1) Rural people and communities.

(2) Economic development.

(3) Local government finance and administration.

(4) Community services.

(5) Natural resources and environment.

(6) Educational outreach.

(7) Rural values and social change.

(8) Agriculture.

(9) Health and welfare concerns.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 9th day of October, A.D. 2009.

EDWARD G. RENDELL