Section 1919-B. Department of Community and Economic Development.
The following apply to appropriations for the Department of Community and Economic Development:
(1) From money appropriated for general government operations, no less than $1,900,000 shall be used to support a manufacturing technology development effort, to assist Pennsylvania small businesses with enhanced cyber security and to test coal ash refuse extraction of rare earth metals for domestic chip manufacturing in a county of the fourth class with a population of at least 130,000, but not more than 135,000, under the most recent Federal decennial census.
(2) From money appropriated for marketing to attract tourists, funds shall include additional allocations to be used to plan, market and conduct a series of arts and cultural activities that generate Statewide and regional economic impact. The sum of $1,000,000 shall be used for regional athletic competitions, activities and costs relating to an annual Statewide competition serving approximately 2,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from across this Commonwealth to be held in a county of the fourth class.
(3) From money appropriated for Pennsylvania First, no less than $8,000,000 shall be used to fund the Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania (WEDnetPA) for workforce training grants provided through an alliance of educational providers, including, but not limited to, State System of Higher Education universities, the Pennsylvania College of Technology and community colleges located in this Commonwealth.
(4) Money appropriated for Keystone Communities shall be used for projects supporting economic growth, community development and municipal assistance throughout this Commonwealth.
(5) Money appropriated for Main Street Matters shall support revitalization and community building efforts, including, but not limited to, planning, business support, aesthetic improvements, disability accessibility improvements and the increase of safety and security. Money appropriated for Main Street Matters may also be used to support the operations of Main Street Program or Elm Street Program as designated by the Department of Community and Economic Development.
(6) Notwithstanding section 4(1) of the act of October 11, 1984 (P.L.906, No.179), known as the Community Development Block Grant Entitlement Program for Nonurban Counties and Certain Other Municipalities, the Commonwealth may use up to 3% of the money received pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-383, 88 Stat. 633) for administrative costs.
(7) Money appropriated for local municipal relief shall include an allocation to provide State assistance to individuals, persons or political subdivisions directly affected by natural or manmade disasters, public safety emergencies, other situations that pose a public safety danger or other situations at the discretion of the department. State assistance may be limited to grants for projects that do not qualify for Federal assistance to help repair damages to primary residences, personal property and public facilities and structures. Grants shall be made available for reimbursement in a disaster emergency area only when a presidential disaster declaration does not cover the area or when the Department of Community and Economic Development determines that a public safety emergency has occurred.
(8) Money appropriated for hospital and health system emergency relief shall include an allocation to provide State assistance for hospital and health care systems that experience financial distress. Money appropriated for hospital and health system emergency relief may also be used to provide funding for research to study rural health and alternative payment methods for rural health care, including data collection and modeling. As used in this paragraph, the term "hospital and health system" shall include a foundation, trust or nonprofit organization affiliated with a hospital or health system, which is authorized by the hospital or health system to apply for grants on behalf of the hospital or health system.
(9) Money appropriated for community and economic assistance shall include an allocation to provide State assistance in the form of grants to assist in community and economic development, including projects in the public interest.
(10) Money appropriated for workforce development shall be distributed in the same proportion as distributed in fiscal year 2022-2023.
(11) Money appropriated for biotechnology research shall include allocations for regenerative medicine research, regenerative medicine medical technology, hepatitis and viral research, drug research and clinical trials related to cancer, genetic and molecular research for disease identification and eradication, vaccine immune response diagnostics, nanotechnology and the commercialization of applied research.
(1919-B added July 12, 2026, P.L.265, No.21)