Pennsylvania Act 1990-177 — ENGINEERING SCHOOL EQUIPMENT ACT - AMEND

Act text

ENGINEERING SCHOOL EQUIPMENT ACT - AMEND
                 Act of Dec. 17, 1990, P.L. 712, No. 177              Cl. 12
                             Session of 1990
                               No. 1990-177

                                  AN ACT

     SB 1825

     Reenacting and amending the act of July 2, 1984 (P.L.553,
        No.110), entitled, as reenacted and amended, "An act
        establishing a program within the Department of Commerce to
        provide grants to engineering degree-granting schools to
        assist in the acquisition of new engineering equipment or the
        upgrading of existing engineering equipment that is necessary
        to provide students with the courses required to obtain a
        degree in engineering," further providing for allocation and
        expenditure of funds and for reporting to the General
        Assembly.

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

        Section 1.  The title and sections 1 and 2 of the act of July
     2, 1984 (P.L.553, No.110), known as the Engineering School
     Equipment Act, reenacted and amended July 9, 1987 (P.L.211,
     No.35), are reenacted to read:

                                  AN ACT

     Establishing a program within the Department of Commerce to
        provide grants to engineering degree-granting schools to
        assist in the acquisition of new engineering equipment or the
        upgrading of existing engineering equipment that is necessary
        to provide students with the courses required to obtain a
        degree in engineering.
      Section 1.  Short title.
        This act shall be known and may be cited as the Engineering
     School Equipment Act.
      Section 2.  Definitions.
        The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
     have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
     context clearly indicates otherwise:
        "Board."  The Board of the Ben Franklin Partnership Fund
     provided for in section 448(n) of the act of April 9, 1929
     (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929.
        "Department."  The Department of Commerce.
        "Engineering degree-granting school."  An institution of
     higher education which offers curriculum in engineering or
     engineering technology which has been approved by the
     Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) and is
     recognized as such by the State Registration Board for
     Professional Engineers.
        "Equipment."  Basic instructional equipment of an engineering
     nature used in the teaching of undergraduate or graduate
     engineering or engineering technology.
        "Full-time equivalent engineering student."  The enrollment
     in baccalaureate and graduate programs of engineering schools
     expressed in terms of full-time students as determined by the
     Department of Education.
        Section 2.  Section 3 of the act, amended July 11, 1989
     (P.L.318, No.53) and July 1, 1990 (P.L.332, No.72), is reenacted
     and amended to read:
      Section 3.  Engineering equipment acquisition and upgrade.
        (a)  Program.--There is established within the department a
     program to provide grants to engineering degree-granting
     schools. The program shall be administered by the board. Funds
     provided through this program shall be used exclusively for the
     acquisition of new engineering equipment and the upgrading of
     existing engineering equipment that is necessary to provide
     students with the courses required to obtain a baccalaureate or
     graduate engineering degree. The board shall:
            (1)  Promulgate such policies, develop such forms and
        institute such procedures as may be necessary to implement
        this act.
            (2)  Allocate to each engineering school funds for which
        it is eligible under this act.
            (3)  Approve or disapprove any request for expenditures
        for the purchase or upgrading of equipment.
            (4)  Require such information and records from each
        engineering school as it deems necessary.
            (5)  Request the Department of Education to certify to
        the board the full-time equivalent enrollment of
        baccalaureate and graduate engineering students at each
        engineering school in the most recent year for which data are
        available.
        (b)  Allocation of funds.--The funds [provided for in]
     appropriated for utilization pursuant to this act shall be
     allocated by the board for grants to the engineering degree-
     granting schools based on the ratio of full-time equivalent
     students enrolled in baccalaureate and graduate engineering
     programs at each school to the total number of full-time
     equivalent undergraduate and graduate engineering students in
     the Commonwealth.
        (c)  Expenditure of funds.--All grants made to engineering
     degree-granting schools shall be expended only for equipment. No
     engineering school shall expend any grant funds on equipment
     unless it also expends funds obtained from private sources on
     that equipment. At least [$3] $2 of private funds shall be
     required for each $1 of grant funds from this program paid to
     engineering degree-granting schools [from the sum originally
     appropriated under this act. For grants funded by any subsequent
     appropriation, at least $2 of private funds shall be required
     for each $1 of grant funds from this program]. Grants made under
     this act shall not be used to supplant existing Federal, State
     or local funds for the acquisition or upgrading of engineering
     equipment. As used in this subsection the term "private funds"
     shall include funds obtained from corporate foundations.
        (d)  Distribution of unused funds.--Any allocated funds which
     have not been expended consistent with subsection (c) by June
     30, 1992, shall be available for reallocation by the board.
        Section 3.  Section 4 of the act is reenacted and amended to
     read:
      Section 4.  Indicators of program impact.
        The department shall report to the General Assembly by [June
     30, 1987] March 31, 1991, on the impact of the program,
     including the types of equipment funded and the amount of
     private sector matching funds generated. All recipients of
     grants under this act shall provide information requested by the
     department for the purposes of this report.
        Section 4.  Section 6 of the act, amended July 1, 1990
     (P.L.332, No.72), is reenacted to read:
      Section 6.  Expiration.
        This act shall expire June 30, 1993.
        Section 5.  Section 7 of the act is reenacted to read:
      Section 7.  Effective date.
        This act shall take effect immediately.
        Section 6.  This act shall be retroactive to July 1, 1990.
        Section 7.  This act shall take effect immediately.

     APPROVED--The 17th day of December, A. D. 1990.

     ROBERT P. CASEY