(a)Establishment of advisory council.--There is hereby established an advisory council for each veterans' home operated by the Commonwealth to provide stakeholders with a means to advise the Adjutant General on the resident care, management, operations and compliance of facilities and services in veterans' homes to ensure high-quality health care and well-being for residents of veterans' homes. Each advisory council shall consist of 15 members and the Adjutant General or the Adjutant General's designee, who shall serve ex officio. The following shall apply:
(1)Ten of the members shall be appointed by the Governor from a list of nominations submitted to the Adjutant General by the Pennsylvania War Veterans' Council. Appointees under this paragraph shall be veterans from the local communi
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(a) Establishment of advisory council.--There is hereby established an advisory council for each veterans' home operated by the Commonwealth to provide stakeholders with a means to advise the Adjutant General on the resident care, management, operations and compliance of facilities and services in veterans' homes to ensure high-quality health care and well-being for residents of veterans' homes. Each advisory council shall consist of 15 members and the Adjutant General or the Adjutant General's designee, who shall serve ex officio. The following shall apply:
(1) Ten of the members shall be appointed by the Governor from a list of nominations submitted to the Adjutant General by the Pennsylvania War Veterans' Council. Appointees under this paragraph shall be veterans from the local community of the veterans' home.
(2) Three of the members shall be appointed by the Governor from a list of nominations submitted to the Adjutant General by current residents of the veterans' home and shall include a family member of a current or former resident of the veterans' home.
(3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall each appoint one member from their respective bodies to serve on each council.
(4) The department shall designate a subject matter expert to attend each advisory council's meeting to provide input on the resident care, management, operations and compliance of facilities and services in each veterans' home.
(b) Term of office and officers.--
(1) Each member of the councils appointed from the General Assembly shall serve for the duration of that General Assembly. Except as provided under paragraph (2), the thirteen members appointed by the Governor shall serve a term of three years.
(2) The initial thirteen members selected by the Governor on or after the effective date of this paragraph shall serve as follows: four members for one year, four members for two years and five members for three years as designated by the Governor.
(3) Each council shall organize as soon as possible and shall annually elect a president, vice president and secretary from the voting members.
(c) Removal for cause.--The members appointed by the Governor may be removed by the Governor for cause.
(d) Quorum and time of meetings.--Six members of a council shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting the business of the council. Each advisory council shall meet at least quarterly and at other times at the call of the president. Each advisory council shall conduct meetings in accordance with 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
(e) Expenses.--Members of each advisory council shall receive no compensation for their services but shall receive reimbursement for their necessary and proper expenses for attendance at meetings.
(f) Power and duty of advisory councils.--Each veterans' home advisory council shall advise the Adjutant General as to the resident care, management, operation and the compliance of facilities and services at their respective homes.
(g) Annual reports.--Each advisory council shall submit an annual report to the department that identifies the work of the advisory council, includes an overall assessment of the resident care, management, operations and compliance of facilities and services in each veterans' home and provides recommendations. The department shall submit a consolidated report on the annual reports submitted by each advisory council under this subsection to the Adjutant General and the chair and minority chair of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of Representatives no later than January 30, 2026, and each year thereafter.