Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 12, March 23, 2024
(a)
Grant.
(1) The maximum grant
under this program is $5,000 or the lesser amount determined by the Adjutant
General based on the amount of money in the program special fund.
(2) No more than $5,000 may be paid to an
eligible service member or the eligible relatives of an eligible service member
in any 12-month period. Eligibility derives from the eligibility of the service
member. This limit means that the eligible service member and all eligible
relatives of the eligible service member may not receive more than $5,000 in
total during any 12-month period.
(b)
Approval authority. The
following shall have authority to act on requests for assistance unless
otherwise restricted by the Adjutant General:
(1)
Level 1. Requests for
grants of $2,000 or less may be acted upon by the bureau's program Coordinator
on initial application and VSO or VSO Supervisor on reconsideration.
(2)
Level 2. Requests for
grants beyond Level 1 approval authority, up to the maximum grant amount of
$5,000, must be reviewed by a subcommittee for application review described in
paragraph 6(d)(2).
(c)
Fund committee. The Adjutant General will appoint a program
fund committee, which will assist in administering the Commonwealth's program.
The fund committee may make recommendations to the Adjutant General for
prioritization of payments if available funds are insufficient to address all
the financial needs requested and recommend changes to this chapter.
(1) The fund committee shall be composed of:
(i) A chairperson, who shall be an officer
serving in the grade of Colonel (O6) in the Pennsylvania Army or Air National
Guard.
(ii) A vice chairperson, who
shall be a noncommissioned officer serving in the grade of Command Sergeant
Major or Chief Master Sergeant (E9) in the Pennsylvania Army or Air National
Guard.
(iii) Three additional
commissioned officers, all of whom shall be serving in the grade of Major or
Lieutenant Commander (O4) or above, and at least one of whom shall be a member
of a reserve component other than the Pennsylvania National Guard.
(iv) Two additional noncommissioned officers,
all of whom shall be serving in the grade of E7 or above, and one of whom may
be a member of reserve component other than the Pennsylvania National
Guard.
(v) The Deputy Adjutant
General for Veterans Affairs and the Deputy for Administration of the
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, or their designees.
(vi) The department's Office of Chief Counsel
will provide legal advice and assistance to the fund committee in a non-voting
capacity.
(2) At least
three members of the fund committee will constitute a subcommittee for
application review. The membership of the subcommittee will rotate based on
availability and to ensure that all fund committee members have an equal
opportunity to review applications.
(3) Except for review of applications
conducted by the subcommittee described in paragraph 6(b)(2), five members of
the fund committee will constitute quorum for the conduct of
business.
(4) The term of a member
of the fund committee will extend from the date of appointment until December
31 of the following year, provided that members will continue to serve until a
successor is appointed as long as the member remains eligible. The Adjutant
General may extend or adjust the term of service to assure that all terms do
not end simultaneously.
(d)
Reporting Requirements.
(1) On or before July 31 of every year, the
department shall submit a report to the Chairperson and Minority Chairperson of
the Appropriations Committee of the Senate, the Chairperson and Minority
Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives,
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 detailing the program guidelines, the number of
applicants, the total amount of money raised and distributed and the type of
applicant need.
(2) The report
shall also set forth any participation by a governmental or nongovernmental
organization utilized in the furtherance of the program.
(e)
Safeguarding
information. Personal information obtained and maintained by the
bureau in the administration of the program shall be safeguarded in accordance
with the rules at 43 Pa. Code Chapter 1, Subchapter B (relating to safeguarding
personal information obtained in the administration of veterans' programs) and
current security management policy issued by the department and the
Commonwealth.