HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 370 PRINTER'S NO. 1799
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 447
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, DUSH, BARTOLOTTA, SCHWANK, BAKER AND
J. WARD, FEBRUARY 24, 2023
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JULY 1, 2024
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, in Department of Military Affairs,
3 establishing the PA VETConnect Program.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
8 ยง 714. PA VETConnect Program.
9 (a) Establishment.--The PA VETConnect Program is
10 established.
11 (b) Participants.--The program may include Federal agencies,
12 State agencies, county directors of veterans' affairs, veterans'
13 service organizations, accredited postsecondary educational and
14 technical institutions, the health care provider community,
15 businesses and nonprofit organizations.
16 (c) Purpose.--The program shall:
17 (1) Improve the health and well-being of veterans and
1 the families of veterans through referrals, community
2 engagement and consistent network communication.
3 (2) Organize participants under subsection (b) to
4 cooperate with network partners to provide for proactive
5 solutions to address the problems faced by veterans.
6 (d) Requirements.--Program requirements shall be determined
7 by the department and information shall be disseminated to the
8 greatest extent possible on how to best navigate and utilize
9 available resources to improve the health and well-being of
10 veterans and the families of veterans.
11 (e) Duties of department.--The department shall develop AND <--
12 ADMINISTER the program, which shall contain a mission statement
13 that shall be clearly communicated to network advocates,
14 partners and participants under subsection (b). The department
15 shall:
16 (1) Coordinate with Federal agencies, State agencies,
17 county directors of veterans' affairs, veterans' service
18 organizations, accredited postsecondary educational and
19 technical institutions, the health care provider community,
20 businesses and nonprofit organizations, identified by the
21 department, that provide programs, initiatives, reintegration
22 outreach and related services to veterans and the families of
23 veterans.
24 (2) Provide Welcome Home to Pennsylvania PENNSYLVANIA <--
25 SALUTES YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE information to recently
26 separated service members.
27 (3) Provide information regarding program initiatives,
28 resources, training opportunities, veterans' service
29 organizations and services available to be utilized by
30 individuals or groups who support veterans and their families
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1 as volunteers and offer outreach and support for veterans.
2 (4) Coordinate with county directors of veterans'
3 affairs by providing information of veterans who request
4 support for Federal and State benefits and programs.
5 (5) Coordinate with veterans' service officers from
6 veterans' service officer grant programs or other veterans'
7 service officers to assist veterans in applying for Federal
8 veteran benefits.
9 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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