An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in public safety, providing for Hospital Security Grant Fund.

PRINTER'S NO. 1674
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1306
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY FARRY, KIM, TARTAGLIONE, CULVER, FONTANA, HAYWOOD,
COSTA, STEFANO, VOGEL, BAKER AND KEARNEY, MAY 1, 2026
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, MAY 1, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in public safety, providing for
Hospital Security Grant Fund.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
CHAPTER 56A
HOSPITAL SECURITY GRANT FUND
Sec.
56A01. Definitions.
56A02. Hospital Security Grant Fund.
56A03. Administration.
56A04. Expiration.
§ 56A01. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
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"Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency.
"Designated medically underserved area." As defined in
section 1301 of the act of December 2, 1992 (P.L.741, No.113),
known as the Children's Health Care Act.
"Eligible applicant." A nonprofit hospital.
"Eligible project." Security enhancements designed to
protect the safety and security of the patients, employers,
visitors and users of a hospital located in this Commonwealth.
"Fund." The Hospital Security Grant Fund established under
section 56A02 (relating to Hospital Security Grant Fund).
"Hospital." A health care facility licensed as a hospital by
the Department of Health under the act of July 19, 1979
(P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care Facilities Act.
"Indirect costs." Costs charged to a grant recipient under
this chapter which do not exceed the recipient's federally
negotiated indirect cost rate or the Federal de minimis rate
under 2 CFR 200.414(f) (relating to indirect costs), whichever
is higher.
"Physical security assessment." A strategic evaluation of a
hospital's facilities, programs and operational procedures used
to identify potential security threats conducted by the
Pennsylvania State Police Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Team
or other professional physical security assessment experts.
"Rural county." A county within this Commonwealth where the
population density is less than 284 persons per square mile as
defined by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
"Security enhancements." The term includes:
(1) Safety and security planning, including a physical
security assessment.
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(2) Purchase of safety and security equipment.
(3) Purchase of security-related technology, which may
include:
(i) Metal detectors.
(ii) Protective lighting.
(iii) Surveillance equipment.
(iv) Special emergency communications equipment.
(v) Electronic locksets.
(vi) Deadbolts.
(vii) Trauma kits.
(viii) Theft-control devices.
(4) Safety and security training.
(5) Threat awareness and response training.
(6) Upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety
and security.
(7) Vulnerability and threat assessments.
(8) Specialty trained canines.
(9) Any other safety- or security-related project that
enhances safety or security of a hospital.
§ 56A02. Hospital Security Grant Fund.
(a) Establishment.--The Hospital Security Grant Fund is
established in the State Treasury.
(b) Continuing appropriation.--All money, including accrued
interest, deposited into the fund is appropriated to the
commission on a continuing basis to award grants under this
chapter.
(c) Transfers from General Fund.--Money available to the
fund shall include transfers from the General Fund as provided
under subsection (d).
(d) Initial transfer.--No later than 30 days after the
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effective date of this section, the Secretary of the Budget
shall transfer to the fund $10,000,000 of the unexpended,
unencumbered or uncommitted prior year funds that were
originally appropriated from the General Fund to any executive
branch agency which is subject to the policy, supervision and
control of the Governor. The Secretary of the Budget may only
make the transfer of funds if the transfer will not result in a
deficit in any appropriation from which the funds are
transferred. No less than 10 days prior to the transfer, the
Secretary of the Budget shall send notification of the transfer
in writing to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and
minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the
House of Representatives.
(e) Additional funding.--Beginning with the 2026-2027 fiscal
year, the General Assembly may transfer or appropriate money to
the fund.
(f) Lapse of funds.--All unexpended, unencumbered or
uncommitted money in the fund as of July 1, 2029, shall lapse
and be transferred to the General Fund.
§ 56A03. Administration.
(a) Applications.--An application for a grant under this
chapter shall be submitted by an eligible applicant in the form
and manner prescribed by the commission.
(b) Review process.--The commission shall review
applications and make awards subject to subsection (c) on a
rolling basis. No later than 90 days after the close of an
application period, the commission, in consultation with the
Governor's Office of Homeland Security, the Department of Health
and the Pennsylvania State Police, shall review and approve or
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deny the application.
(c) Allocation.--An eligible applicant may not receive more
than $150,000 in any fiscal year.
(d) Limitations.--The following shall apply to grant
applications:
(1) The commission may not provide grants in excess of
the amount in the fund.
(2) The commission may prorate the grant amount to an
eligible applicant.
(3) Grant money allocated from the fund shall be used to
supplement and not supplant existing funding.
(e) Eligible projects.--The commission may only award grants
through the fund for eligible projects. Eligible applicants may
only expend grant money received through the fund on eligible
projects.
(f) Eligibility for redevelopment assistance capital
project.--An eligible project which receives a grant under this
chapter may be the subject of an award for a redevelopment
assistance capital project under Chapter 3 of the act of
February 9, 1999 (P.L.1, No.1), known as the Capital Facilities
Debt Enabling Act. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed
to modify the eligibility requirements for redevelopment
assistance capital projects under the Capital Facilities Debt
Enabling Act.
(g) Prioritization.--In awarding grants, the commission
shall prioritize applications from eligible applicants that:
(1) have experienced reported incidents of violence or
threats against their facility or staff and for eligible
projects that would address findings from a recently
completed physical security assessment; or
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(2) are located in a designated medically underserved
area in a rural county.
(h) Indirect costs.--An eligible applicant may not expend
more than 10% of money awarded under this chapter on indirect
costs.
(i) Administrative expenses.--The commission may not expend
more than 3% of money appropriated to the commission for the
program on administrative expenses.
§ 56A04. Expiration.
This chapter shall expire July 1, 2031.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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