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Senate
Endorses Baker Legislation to Establish State Veterans Trust Fund
Harrisburg – Legislation establishing a state trust fund to enhance programs,
services and benefits for Pennsylvania's one million veterans was today approved
by the state Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Lisa Baker (R-20), Senate Bill 1531 would create the
Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund (PVTF) to supplement state appropriations for
veterans programs and support new partnerships with charities and veterans'
service organizations.
Baker, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee, said the fund will build upon the services and programs that our
state already offers.
"This trust is not intended to support programs that are funded by existing
revenues – such as our veterans' homes. Instead, it will allow us to do more to
help the extensive outreach efforts that the veterans' groups and the department
have underway."
The bill also creates a voluntary check-off mechanism on driver's license
renewals and vehicle registrations for motorists to donate to the fund and
provides for special veterans' license plates for both veterans and motorists
who wish to honor veterans.
With the establishment of the fund, Pennsylvania would join only a handful of
other states working to forge relationships between government and the many
organizations working to help veterans. Monies could be used for a variety of
different programs including grants for the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation and
other veterans' organizations, support for innovative and expanded county
veterans' programs, and housing assistance for veterans.
"Pennsylvanians are justifiably proud of how many of our citizens serve, and
of their incredible devotion to duty," Baker said. "We need to be equally proud
that we properly honor our commitments to these brave men and women."
Floor Remarks
Senator Baker
Pennsylvanians have played a prominent part in the
conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, continuing the long tradition of Commonwealth
residents serving in our armed forces and defending freedom.
This comes with a challenge for legislators and state
officials. The number of veterans is increasing. The cost of programs and
services is rising. The budget implications are inescapable.
Tough economic times neither diminish nor defer our
obligations to veterans. They did their duty; now we must do ours.
Over the course of this legislative session, our committee
has held several hearings into solutions for connecting veterans with the
benefits and services they have earned. With fiscal challenges at both the
state and national levels, all agree the traditional methods for funding
services are severely stretched.
Part of the answer is the Veterans Trust Fund plan before
us.
This is a way to generate additional funding, drawing in
dollars from private sources and combining them with new public means. The door
is opened to charitable contributions, to partnership efforts between
non-profits and veterans' groups, and to motorists to utilize a check-off on
license and registration renewals or to acquire a specialty license plate.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Scotland
School property will help build the fund.
Nothing in here is intended to substitute for or relieve
state funding for ongoing obligations and responsibilities, such as our veterans
homes. The fund is designed to allow us to do more, not merely maintain
effort. It will help the extensive outreach efforts that the veterans' groups
and the department have underway.
Pennsylvanians are justifiably proud of how many of our citizens serve, and of
their incredible devotion to duty. We need to be equally proud that we properly.
CONTACT:
Jennifer
Wilson
(570) 675-3931
