Pennsylvania Act 1992-65 — RURAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING ACT

Act text

RURAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING ACT
                  Act of Jun. 26, 1992, P.L. 325, No. 65              Cl. 14
                                  AN ACT

     Establishing a rural leadership training program; providing for
        rules and regulations; and imposing duties on the Department
        of Community Affairs.

        Compiler's Note:  Section 301(a)(9) of Act 58 of 1996, which
            created the Department of Community and Economic
            Development and abolished the Department of Community
            Affairs, provided that housing, community assistance and
            other functions under Act 65 are transferred from the
            Department of Community Affairs to the Department of
            Community and Economic Development.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

     Section 1.  Short title.
        This act shall be known and may be cited as the Rural
     Leadership Training Act.
     Section 2.  Legislative finding and declaration.
        The General Assembly finds and declares that this
     Commonwealth has the largest rural population of any state in
     the nation. However, many rural communities in this Commonwealth
     rely on volunteer leadership to manage public affairs. The
     General Assembly recognizes that this dependence on volunteer
     leadership is the result of limited financial and instructional
     resources which serve to impede a rural community's ability to
     develop a pool of qualified leaders. It is further recognized
     that qualified local leadership is needed to resolve the
     complicated economic and social problems of contemporary
     society. Accordingly, the General Assembly finds and declares
     that an educational program aimed at encouraging the development
     of a pool of qualified leaders will provide the local leadership
     essential to growth and will enable rural communities to
     effectively meet the challenges of the 21st century.
     Section 3.  Definitions.
        The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
     have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
     context clearly indicates otherwise:
        "Department."  The Department of Community Affairs of the
     Commonwealth.
        "Program."  The Rural Leadership Training Program.
        "Rural community."  A county, town, borough or township or
     other political subdivision which, according to the most recent
     United States Decennial Census, is classified as rural.
     Section 4.  Establishment of program.
        There is hereby established, under the direction of the
     department, the Rural Leadership Training Program for the
     purposes of providing leadership training to citizens of rural
     communities and advanced training to local elected officials to
     encourage and foster the development of community leaders in
     rural areas of this Commonwealth.
     Section 5.  Rural Leadership Training Program.
        (a)  Requirements.--The department or a designee appointed by
     the department shall develop an educational program of
     sufficient scope and duration to provide a reasonable
     opportunity for the individual served to acquire the knowledge
     essential to developing the following:
            (1)  An understanding of the economic, political,
        cultural and social forces inherent to the public decision-
        making process.
            (2)  An understanding of the application of leadership
        skills, processes and strategies to resolve conflict.
            (3)  The ability to study community problems and issues
        from a broad economic, political, cultural and social
        perspective.
            (4)  An understanding of interpersonal relationships and
        group dynamics and their role in the public decision-making
        process.
            (5)  An understanding of contemporary social and economic
        problems and policy issues and how they affect public policy.
            (6)  An understanding of the budgetary concerns
        encountered by rural communities.
            (7)  An understanding of international relations and the
        world economy.
            (8)  An understanding of the legislative process and
        legislative procedure.
        (b)  Eligibility.--Any citizen who is a resident of a rural
     community or any official elected to public office in such a
     community may participate in the program. The department or a
     designee appointed by the department shall ensure that program
     participants are representative of the diverse social, economic
     and cultural composition of rural areas of this Commonwealth.
        (c)  Applications.--Any resident of a rural community or any
     person elected to public office in a rural community may submit
     an application for participation in the program at such time and
     in such manner as the department may prescribe.
     Section 6.  Duties of department.
        The department shall administer the program and shall adopt
     and promulgate any rules, regulations or guidelines and may, by
     regulation, establish any fees necessary to accomplish the
     purposes of this act.
     Section 7.  Effective date.
        This act shall take effect immediately.