SB 64 — An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in veteran-owned small businesses, providing for veteran-owned business logotype; and imposing a penalty.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

25 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.

50964 THE2025 GENERALINTRODUCED ASSEMBLYBY OFBARTOLOTTA, PENNSYLVANIAPENNYCUICK, SENATESCHWANK, BILLBROWN, SessionPHILLIPS- HILL AND COSTA, JANUARY 22, 2025 REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 22, 2025 AN ACT Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of No.the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in veteran-owned small businesses, further providing for definitions;

64adding 2025miscellaneous INTRODUCEDprovisions BYrelating BARTOLOTTA,to PENNYCUICK, SCHWANK, BROWN, PHILLIPS- HILL, COSTA, MASTRIANO, DUSH AND KANE, JANUARY 22, 2025 SENATOR MASTRIANO, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, AS AMENDED, APRIL 1, 2025 AN ACT Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania <-- Consolidated Statutes, in veteran-owned smallbusiness businesses,logotype furtherand providingnonprofit formembership definitions;association;

addingand miscellaneousimposing nonprofita membershippenalty. association;

and imposing a penalty.d AMENDING TITLE 51 (MILITARY AFFAIRS) OF THE PENNSYLVANIA <-- CONSOLIDATED STATUTES, IN VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES, PROVIDING FOR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE;

AND IMPOSING A PENALTY.

The definition of "veteran" in section 9601 of <-- Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

20250SB0064PN0509 - 2 - § 9622.

(a) Logotype.--The department shall develop and design an 20250SB0064PN0025 - 2 - official Commonwealth logotype to be used by a veteran-owned business.

(2) Nothing under this subsection shall prohibit the department from working with another State agency or an additional third-party entity to establish veteran-owned 20250SB0064PN0509 - 3 - business verification.

(e) Notice.--Within 10 days of the creation of a logotype 20250SB0064PN0025 - 3 - under this section and the establishment of the criteria necessary to use and display the logotype and the applications and instructions on how to complete and submit an application, the department shall post on a publicly accessible Internet website of the department a notice that:

A copy of the report shall be sent to the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the Veterans 20250SB0064PN0509 - 4 - Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of Representatives.

20250SB0064PN0025 - 4 - § 9623.

SECTION20250SB0064PN0025 1.- 5 -

CHAPTER 96 OF TITLE 51 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA <-- CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SUBCHAPTER TO READ:

SUBCHAPTER D VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE SEC.

9621.

DEFINITIONS.

9622.

VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE.

§ 9621.

DEFINITIONS.

THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN USED IN THIS SUBCHAPTER SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION UNLESS THE CONTEXT CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE:

"VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS." A BUSINESS OWNED OR CONTROLLED BY A VETERAN.

A BUSINESS IS CONTROLLED OR OWNED BY A VETERAN IF AT LEAST 51% OF THE OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN THE BUSINESS IS HELD BY A VETERAN.

§ 9622.

VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE.

(A) LOGOTYPE.-- (1) NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AND DESIGN AN OFFICIAL VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE TO BE USED BY A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.

(2) THE LOGOTYPE SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY LANGUAGE THAT MAY 20250SB0064PN0509 - 5 - BE CONSTRUED AS AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND SHALL ONLY INDICATE THAT THE BUSINESS IS A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.

(B) APPLICATION.--NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AN APPLICATION FOR WHICH A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS MAY APPLY TO USE THE LOGOTYPE UNDER SUBSECTION (A).

THE APPLICATION SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE.

(C) ELIGIBILITY.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP GUIDELINES WITH THE CRITERIA TO ESTABLISH VETERAN-OWNED STATUS OF BUSINESSES APPLYING FOR THE LOGOTYPE.

THE CRITERIA SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE.

(D) CONTRIBUTIONS.--THE DEPARTMENT MAY PROVIDE A SPACE ON THE APPLICATION WHERE AN APPLICANT MAY VOLUNTARILY MAKE A CONTRIBUTION OF ANY AMOUNT TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE VETERANS' TRUST FUND.

(E) PUBLIC NOTICE.--WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE CREATION OF A LOGOTYPE UNDER THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE A NOTICE THAT:

(1) THE LOGOTYPE UNDER THIS SECTION IS AVAILABLE FOR USE BY AN APPROVED VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.

(2) INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.

(F) NOTICE OF DECISION.--WITHIN 60 DAYS OF RECEIVING AN APPLICATION UNDER THIS SUBCHAPTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DECIDE AND NOTIFY THE APPLICANT OF WHETHER THE APPLICANT IS APPROVED TO USE AND DISPLAY THE LOGOTYPE.

(G) PENALTY.-- (1) IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER PENALTY PRESCRIBED BY LAW, 20250SB0064PN0509 - 6 - AN INDIVIDUAL COMMITS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE THIRD DEGREE IF THE INDIVIDUAL FRAUDULENTLY HOLDS THE INDIVIDUAL OUT TO BE A VETERAN FOR THE PURPOSE OF USING A LOGOTYPE UNDER THIS SUBCHAPTER.