SB 52 — An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the National Guard Youth Challenge Program.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

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

142552 THE2017 GENERALINTRODUCED ASSEMBLYBY OFGREENLEAF, PENNSYLVANIAVULAKOVICH, SENATEHUTCHINSON, BILLSCHWANK, SessionBREWSTER, FONTANA, COSTA, BOSCOLA, HAYWOOD AND RAFFERTY, JANUARY 12, 2017 REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 12, 2017 AN ACT Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of No.the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the National Guard Youth Challenge Program.

52 2017 INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, VULAKOVICH, HUTCHINSON, SCHWANK, BREWSTER, FONTANA, COSTA, BOSCOLA, HAYWOOD, RAFFERTY AND BROWNE, JANUARY 12, 2017 AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, JANUARY 23, 2018 AN ACT Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the National Guard Youth Challenge Program.

"Institution of higher education." Any institution of higher <-- learning that is approved by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency to participate in the award of State grants under the act of January 25, 1966 (1965 P.L.1546, No.541), referred to as the Higher Education Scholarship Law.

ANY OF THE <-- FOLLOWING:

(1) A COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPERATING UNDER ARTICLE XIX-A OF THE ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 (P.L.30, NO.14), KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949.

(2) A UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION UNDER ARTICLE XX-A OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949.

(3) A STATE-RELATED INSTITUTION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 1502-A OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949.

(4) THADDEUS STEVENS COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY.

(5) ANY ACCREDITED PRIVATE OR INDEPENDENT COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.

20170SB0052PN1425 - 2 - § 9802.

(A) GENERAL RULE.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP PROGRAM <-- GUIDELINES IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

§ 509(a) (relating to National Guard Youth Challenge Program of opportunities for civilian youth), the program shall seek to improve the life skills and 20170SB0052PN0033 - 2 - employment potential of participants by providing military-based training and supervised work experience, together with the core program components of assisting participants to receive a high school diploma or its equivalent;

THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES ON THE <-- HOME PAGE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE AND SHALL PROVIDE THE GUIDELINES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

(B) DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.--THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL POST THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES ON THE HOME PAGE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE AND SHALL ANNUALLY DISTRIBUTE THE GUIDELINES AND RELEVANT PROGRAM INFORMATION TO ALL SCHOOL ENTITIES.

The program shall be for a period of time as set forth in 32 20170SB0052PN1425 - 3 - U.S.C.

§ 509(j), the department may supplement the funding with other resources, including gifts, made available to the department and may also accept, use and dispose of gifts or donations of money, 20170SB0052PN0033 - 3 - other property or services for the program.

The department, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall ensure that the program complies with all statutory and regulatory provisions as necessary to facilitate the transferability of course credit earned in the program to a 20170SB0052PN1425 - 4 - school entity.

(3) Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of 20170SB0052PN0033 - 4 - the House of Representatives, with two appointees from the majority party and one appointee from the minority party.

(d) Quorum.--Five members of the advisory council shall 20170SB0052PN1425 - 5 - constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting the business of the advisory council.

20170SB0052PN0033 - 5 - (i) Earned a high school diploma or its equivalent.

20170SB0052PN1425 - 6 - (4) The demographic makeup of the applicants to and participants in the program, including, but not limited to, the following:

(4) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the 20170SB0052PN0033 - 6 - House of Representatives.

The department shall submit annually to the chairperson and <-- minority chairperson of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of Representatives a complete certified audit of the program.

The audit shall be conducted by a qualified independent certified public accountant 20170SB0052PN1425 - 7 - under generally accepted audit standards of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

THE DEPARTMENT SHALL UNDERGO AN <-- ANNUAL AUDIT OF THE PROGRAM.

THE AUDIT SHALL BE CONDUCTED BY A QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT UNDER GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDIT STANDARDS OF THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD.

THE AUDIT SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE FOLLOWING:

(1) THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE.

(2) THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE.

(3) THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(4) THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

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