Pennsylvania Act 2014-204 — SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME STATE SUPPLEMENT PAYMENTS FOR OUT-OF-STATE PAYORS ACT - ENACTMENT

Act text

An Act

Authorizing the Treasury Department to process Supplemental Security Income State Supplement Payments for other states; providing for duties of the Treasury Department; and establishing the SSP Processing Account.

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 Supplemental Security Income State Supplement Payments for Out-of-State Payors Act.

Section 2. 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:

"Account." The SSP Processing Account established in section 4.

"Department." The Treasury Department of the Commonwealth.

Section 3. Processing of payments.

(a) General rule.--The department may process Supplemental Security Income State Supplement Payments for out-of-State payors.

(b) Contracts.--The department may enter into contracts, on a contingent fee or other basis, associated with or arising out of the activities of the department under subsection (a).

Section 4. Account.

(a) Establishment.--There is established a restricted account in the General Fund to be known as the SSP Processing Account. The department shall credit to the account all funds collected or received from processing Supplemental Security Income State Supplement Payments for out-of-State payors. On July 31 of each year, all funds in the account which have not been appropriated by the General Assembly in accordance with subsection (b) shall be transferred to the General Fund.

(b) Use.--The General Assembly shall annually appropriate funds from the account to support the department's activities under this act. The department shall submit a request for the appropriation of the funds under Article VI of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929. Each annual appropriation from the account shall lapse, in accordance with section 621 of The Administrative Code of 1929, to the General Fund.

Section 5. Reporting.

The department shall, by March 31 of each year, issue a report to the Governor, the majority chair and the minority chair of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the majority chair and minority chair of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives. The report shall contain at least the following information for the reporting period:

(1) A report of all of the department's activities undertaken in accordance with this act.

(2) A list of the contracts authorized under section 3(b).

(3) A detailed accounting of the department's operating costs and other costs incurred for activities authorized under this act for the 12 months prior to the date of the report.

(4) The total revenue collected by the department for activities authorized under this act during the period covered by the report.

(5) A detailed estimate of the department's operating costs and other costs for activities authorized under this act for the next fiscal year that commences after the date of the report, including the projected cost of a contract authorized under section 3(b).

Section 6. Limitations.

The following shall apply to an activity authorized under this act:

(1) Nothing under this act, including, but not limited to, a contract authorized under this act and the processing of a Supplemental Security Income State Supplement Payment for out-of-State payors, shall be construed to permit or authorize the waiver of sovereign immunity for the purposes of 1 Pa.C.S. § 2310 (relating to sovereign immunity reaffirmed; specific waiver).

(2) Nothing under this act shall permit the department or the Commonwealth to indemnify another party for a loss, damage or shortfall associated with a contract to process Supplemental Security Income State Supplement Payments for out-of-State payors.

Section 31. Appropriation.

For fiscal year 2014-2015, $4,500,000 is appropriated on a continuing basis from the account to the department to support the department's activities under this act.

Section 32. Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.