HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 508, 1098 PRINTER'S NO. 1913
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 531
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY BAKER, BROOKS, PENNYCUICK, BARTOLOTTA, ROBINSON,
BREWSTER AND COSTA, MARCH 15, 2023
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,
SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, in State Veterans' Commission and
3 Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans' Affairs, further
4 providing for Veterans' Trust Fund; AND ESTABLISHING THE <--
5 VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Section 1721 of Title 51 of the Pennsylvania <--
9 Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subsection to read:
10 § 1721. Veterans' Trust Fund.
11 * * *
12 (e.1) Grant Evaluation Committee.--The Grant Evaluation
13 Committee is established within the department and the following
14 shall apply:
15 (1) The Grant Evaluation Committee shall:
16 (i) Review and evaluate applications for grants
17 provided under this subchapter.
18 (ii) Provide recommendations on the use of funds
 1 under this subchapter to the Adjutant General.
2 (2) The review and evaluation of applications for grants
3 provided under this subchapter and the making of
4 recommendations for the use of funding under this subchapter
5 performed by individuals pursuant to the statement of policy
6 for the maintenance and use of the fund required under
7 subsection (e) prior to the effective date of this subsection
8 shall be performed by the Grant Evaluation Committee as
9 provided under paragraph (1).
10 (3) The Grant Evaluation Committee shall be comprised of
11 the following members:
12 (i) Five members appointed by the Adjutant General,
13 including the chairperson of the Pennsylvania State
14 Veterans Commission or a designee, the chairperson of the
15 Pennsylvania War Veterans Council or a designee and a
16 county director of veterans affairs.
17 (ii) One veteran appointed by the President pro
18 tempore of the Senate.
19 (iii) One veteran appointed by the Minority Leader
20 of the Senate.
21 (iv) One veteran appointed by the Speaker of the
22 House of Representatives.
23 (v) One veteran appointed by the Minority Leader of
24 the House of Representatives.
25 * * *
26 SECTION 1. SECTION 1721(E) OF TITLE 51 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA <--
27 CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS AMENDED AND THE SECTION IS AMENDED BY
28 ADDING SUBSECTIONS TO READ:
29 § 1721. VETERANS' TRUST FUND.
30 * * *
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 1 (C.1) UNAUTHORIZED PURPOSES.--THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT EXPEND
2 MONEY FROM THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND TO PAY THE SALARIES OF
3 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. AS USED IN THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TERM
4 "ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED IN THE
5 BUSINESS OF A VETERANS' ORGANIZATION OR OTHER CHARITABLE
6 ORGANIZATION WITH A PRIMARY MISSION TO SERVE PENNSYLVANIA
7 VETERANS. THE TERM DOES NOT INCLUDE CLINICAL STAFF OR AN
8 INDIVIDUAL WHO SERVES IN A ROLE OF PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE TO
9 VETERANS OR THEIR FAMILIES.
10 * * *
11 (E) OPERATION.--
12 (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOPT A STATEMENT OF POLICY FOR
13 THE MAINTENANCE AND USE OF THE FUND WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE
14 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. THE POLICY SHALL BE PUBLISHED
15 AS A NOTICE IN THE PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN, BUT SHALL NOT BE
16 SUBJECT TO REVIEW UNDER SECTION 205 OF THE ACT OF JULY 31,
17 1968 (P.L.769, NO.240), REFERRED TO AS THE COMMONWEALTH
18 DOCUMENTS LAW, SECTIONS 204(B) AND 301(10) OF THE ACT OF
19 OCTOBER 15, 1980 (P.L.950, NO.164), KNOWN AS THE COMMONWEALTH
20 ATTORNEYS ACT OR THE ACT OF JUNE 25, 1982 (P.L.633, NO.181),
21 KNOWN AS THE REGULATORY REVIEW ACT.
22 (2) THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD IS ESTABLISHED AS AN
23 ADVISORY BOARD WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. THE FOLLOWING SHALL
24 APPLY:
25 (I) THE PURPOSE OF THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD IS
26 TO INCREASE DONATIONS TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
27 AND IMPACTFUL DISTRIBUTION OF MONEY IN THE VETERANS'
28 TRUST FUND.
29 (II) THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD SHALL HAVE THE
30 FOLLOWING DUTIES:
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 1 (A) ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT ON THE PRIORITIES OF
2 THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND GRANTS.
3 (B) REVIEW VETERANS' TRUST FUND GRANT
4 APPLICATIONS.
5 (C) RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE VETERANS'
6 TRUST FUND.
7 (D) RECOMMEND PERFORMANCE AUDIT METRICS FOR
8 ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING VETERANS' TRUST FUND GRANTS.
9 (E) RECOMMEND LEGISLATIVE OR POLICY CHANGES TO
10 ENHANCE THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND.
11 (F) REVIEW AUDITS AND REPORTS WITH THE
12 DEPARTMENT AND THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY
13 CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
14 PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE AND THE
15 CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS
16 AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE
17 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
18 (III) MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD
19 SHALL BE VETERANS, FAMILY MEMBERS OF VETERANS AND
20 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN SERVING
21 VETERANS. IN DETERMINING WHO TO APPOINT TO THE VETERANS'
22 TRUST FUND BOARD, CONSIDERATION SHALL BE GIVEN TO SUBJECT
23 MATTER EXPERTS IN VETERANS ISSUES REGARDING BEHAVIORAL
24 HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
25 INJURIES, PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, HOUSING OR OTHER SOCIAL
26 DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH. THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD
27 SHALL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING:
28 (A) THE DEPUTY ADJUTANT GENERAL FOR VETERANS'
29 AFFAIRS OR A DESIGNEE, WHO SHALL SERVE EX OFFICIO.
30 (B) TWO MEMBERS RECOMMENDED BY THE ADJUTANT
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 1 GENERAL AND APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
2 (C) TWO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED BY
3 THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMISSION AND APPOINTED BY
4 THE GOVERNOR.
5 (D) ONE MEMBER RECOMMENDED BY THE ADJUTANT
6 GENERAL FROM EACH OF THE FIVE PA VETCONNECT PROGRAM
7 REGIONS, THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND THE CITY OF
8 PITTSBURGH AND APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
9 (IV) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED UNDER THIS SUBPARAGRAPH,
10 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO THE VETERANS' TRUST
11 FUND BOARD SHALL SERVE A TERM OF FOUR YEARS AND UNTIL A
12 SUCCESSOR HAS BEEN APPOINTED. THE INITIAL MEMBERS
13 APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND
14 BOARD SHALL SERVE TERMS AS FOLLOWS AS DETERMINED BY THE
15 GOVERNOR:
16 (A) TWO MEMBERS SHALL SERVE A TERM OF ONE YEAR.
17 (B) THREE MEMBERS SHALL SERVE A TERM OF TWO
18 YEARS.
19 (C) THREE MEMBERS SHALL SERVE A TERM OF THREE
20 YEARS.
21 (D) THREE MEMBERS SHALL SERVE A TERM OF FOUR
22 YEARS.
23 (V) UPON RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ADJUTANT GENERAL,
24 THE GOVERNOR MAY DECLARE A VACANCY TO EXIST IF A MEMBER
25 APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND
26 BOARD FAILS TO ATTEND THREE CONSECUTIVE MEETINGS OF THE
27 VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE. THE
28 GOVERNOR SHALL FILL A VACANCY DECLARED UNDER THIS
29 SUBPARAGRAPH FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM.
30 (VI) THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD SHALL ANNUALLY
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 1 ELECT A CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON AT THE FIRST
2 MEETING COMMENCING NO LATER THAN MARCH 31, 2025. THE
3 DEPARTMENT SHALL DESIGNATE AN EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TO THE
4 VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD.
5 (VII) MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD
6 SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES BUT
7 SHALL RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THEIR NECESSARY AND
8 PROPER EXPENSES INCURRED IN EXECUTING THEIR DUTIES AS
9 MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD.
10 (VIII) THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD SHALL MEET
11 UPON THE CALL OF THE CHAIRPERSON OR THE DEPUTY ADJUTANT
12 GENERAL OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS. SIX MEMBERS OF THE
13 VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM.
14 (IX) VOTING MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND
15 BOARD MAY NOT BE CURRENT EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
16 (X) IF A MEMBER OF THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD
17 HAS AN INTEREST IN AN ORGANIZATION APPLYING FOR A GRANT
18 FROM THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND, THE MEMBER SHALL REFRAIN
19 FROM FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE APPLICANT AND MAY NOT
20 MAKE A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE APPROVAL OR
21 DISAPPROVAL OF THE APPLICATION. IF A MEMBER OF THE
22 VETERANS' TRUST FUND BOARD HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST
23 WITH AN ORGANIZATION APPLYING FOR A GRANT FROM THE
24 VETERANS' TRUST FUND, THE MEMBER SHALL RECUSE ONESELF.
25 * * *
26 (G) AUDIT.--BY JULY 31, 2026, AND EVERY TWO YEARS
27 THEREAFTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT TO
28 THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS
29 AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE AND THE
30 CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND
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1 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF
2 REPRESENTATIVES. THE PERFORMANCE AUDIT SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN
3 ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS
4 AND EXAMINE THE IMPACTS ON VETERANS BY ORGANIZATIONS FUNDED
5 THROUGH THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND.
6 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0508: 51-1721
Printer's No. 1098: 51-1721