PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 25 PRINTER'S NO. 509
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.64
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BARTOLOTTA, PENNYCUICK, SCHWANK, BROWN, PHILLIPS-
HILL, COSTA, MASTRIANO, DUSH AND KANE, JANUARY 22, 2025
SENATOR MASTRIANO, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
AS AMENDED, APRIL 1, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in veteran-owned small businesses,
further providing for definitions; adding miscellaneous
provisions relating to veteran-owned business logotype and
nonprofit membership association; and imposing a penalty.
AMENDING TITLE 51 (MILITARY AFFAIRS) OF THE PENNSYLVANIA
CONSOLIDATED STATUTES, IN VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES,
PROVIDING FOR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE; AND IMPOSING A
PENALTY.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The definition of "veteran" in section 9601 of
Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to
read:
§ 9601. Definitions.
Subject to section 9602 (relating to regulations), 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:
* * *
"Veteran." [An individual who served in the United States
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21 Armed Forces, including a reserve component or the National
Guard, and who was discharged or released from service under
conditions other than dishonorable. ] Any of the following:
(1) An individual who served on active duty in the
United States Armed Forces, including the Reserve and
National Guard, who was discharged or released from service
under honorable conditions.
(2) A reservist or member of the National Guard who
completed an initial term of enlistment or qualifying period
of service.
(3) A reservist or member of the National Guard who was
disabled in the line of duty during training.
* * *
Section 2. Chapter 96 of Title 51 is amended by adding a
subchapter to read:
SUBCHAPTER D
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec.
9621. Definitions.
9622. Veteran-owned business logotype.
9623. Nonprofit membership association.
§ 9621. Definitions.
As used in this subchapter, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Nonprofit membership association." A nonprofit organization
whose mission is to support veterans, reservists, National Guard
members, their spouses and families.
"Veteran-owned business." A business owned or controlled by
a veteran.
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30 § 9622. Veteran-owned business logotype.
(a) Logotype.--The department shall develop and design an
official Commonwealth logotype to be used by a veteran-owned
business.
(b) Application.--The department shall develop an
application, criteria and affirmation upon which an eligible
business may apply for a license to use the logotype under this
section.
(c) Eligibility.--A veteran-owned business shall be eligible
to be issued a license to use the logotype if:
(1) the business is registered with the Department of
State; and
(2) at least 51% of the ownership interest in the
business is held by a veteran.
(d) Verification of military service status.--
(1) The department shall verify the military service
status of each business owner seeking status as a veteran-
owned business without additional verification, by confirming
that the business:
(i) Possesses a valid verification issued by the
Department of General Services as a veteran business
enterprise, including a veteran-owned small business
enterprise or a service-disabled veteran-owned small
business enterprise.
(ii) Possesses a valid verification issued by the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs through
VETBIZ or its successor.
(2) Nothing under this subsection shall prohibit the
department from working with another State agency or an
additional third-party entity to establish veteran-owned
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30 business verification.
(e) Notice.--Within 10 days of the creation of a logotype
under this section and the establishment of the criteria
necessary to use and display the logotype and the applications
and instructions on how to complete and submit an application,
the department shall post on a publicly accessible Internet
website of the department a notice that:
(1) The logotype under this section is available to an
eligible business.
(2) Includes the criteria necessary to receive a license
to use and display the logotype and allows for access to the
applications and instructions on how to complete and submit
the applications.
(f) Issuance.--The department shall issue a license to use
and display the logotype to an applicant deemed eligible under
subsection (c).
(g) Penalty.--
(1) An individual commits a misdemeanor of the third
degree if the individual fraudulently holds the individual
out to be a veteran for the purpose of obtaining a license or
using a logotype under this subchapter.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the full
amount of each fine collected for a violation of paragraph
(1) shall be deposited into the Veterans' Trust Fund.
(h) Report.--By March 31 of each year, the department shall
prepare an annual report on the number of veteran-owned
businesses issued a license to use the logotype and the annual
applications and renewals of the license to use the logotype. A
copy of the report shall be sent to the Veterans Affairs and
Emergency Preparedness Committee of the Senate and the Veterans
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30 Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee of the House of
Representatives.
§ 9623. Nonprofit membership association.
Except as provided under section 9622(d) (relating to
veteran-owned business logotype), the department may contract
with a nonprofit membership association to perform the duties
and responsibilities under section 9622.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
SECTION 1. CHAPTER 96 OF TITLE 51 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA
CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SUBCHAPTER TO READ:
SUBCHAPTER D
VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE
SEC.
9621. DEFINITIONS.
9622. VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE.
§ 9621. DEFINITIONS.
THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN USED IN THIS SUBCHAPTER
SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION UNLESS THE
CONTEXT CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE:
"VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS." A BUSINESS OWNED OR CONTROLLED BY
A VETERAN. A BUSINESS IS CONTROLLED OR OWNED BY A VETERAN IF AT
LEAST 51% OF THE OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN THE BUSINESS IS HELD BY A
VETERAN.
§ 9622. VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE.
(A) LOGOTYPE.--
(1) NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
THIS PARAGRAPH, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AND DESIGN AN
OFFICIAL VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS LOGOTYPE TO BE USED BY A
VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.
(2) THE LOGOTYPE SHALL NOT INCLUDE ANY LANGUAGE THAT MAY
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30 BE CONSTRUED AS AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND SHALL
ONLY INDICATE THAT THE BUSINESS IS A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.
(B) APPLICATION.--NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE
DATE OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AN
APPLICATION FOR WHICH A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS MAY APPLY TO USE
THE LOGOTYPE UNDER SUBSECTION (A). THE APPLICATION SHALL BE MADE
AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET
WEBSITE.
(C) ELIGIBILITY.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP GUIDELINES
WITH THE CRITERIA TO ESTABLISH VETERAN-OWNED STATUS OF
BUSINESSES APPLYING FOR THE LOGOTYPE. THE CRITERIA SHALL BE MADE
AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET
WEBSITE.
(D) CONTRIBUTIONS.--THE DEPARTMENT MAY PROVIDE A SPACE ON
THE APPLICATION WHERE AN APPLICANT MAY VOLUNTARILY MAKE A
CONTRIBUTION OF ANY AMOUNT TO BE DEPOSITED INTO THE VETERANS'
TRUST FUND.
(E) PUBLIC NOTICE.--WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE CREATION OF A
LOGOTYPE UNDER THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL POST ON THE
DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE A NOTICE THAT:
(1) THE LOGOTYPE UNDER THIS SECTION IS AVAILABLE FOR USE
BY AN APPROVED VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.
(2) INCLUDES INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT
AN APPLICATION.
(F) NOTICE OF DECISION.--WITHIN 60 DAYS OF RECEIVING AN
APPLICATION UNDER THIS SUBCHAPTER, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DECIDE
AND NOTIFY THE APPLICANT OF WHETHER THE APPLICANT IS APPROVED TO
USE AND DISPLAY THE LOGOTYPE.
(G) PENALTY.--
(1) IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER PENALTY PRESCRIBED BY LAW,
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30 AN INDIVIDUAL COMMITS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE THIRD DEGREE IF
THE INDIVIDUAL FRAUDULENTLY HOLDS THE INDIVIDUAL OUT TO BE A
VETERAN FOR THE PURPOSE OF USING A LOGOTYPE UNDER THIS
SUBCHAPTER.
(2) THE FULL AMOUNT OF EACH FINE COLLECTED FOR A
VIOLATION OF PARAGRAPH (1) SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO THE
VETERANS' TRUST FUND.
(H) REPORT.--BY MARCH 31 OF EACH YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
PREPARE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE NUMBER OF VETERAN-OWNED
BUSINESSES APPROVED TO USE THE LOGOTYPE AND THE NUMBER OF
APPLICATIONS RECEIVED. A COPY OF THE REPORT SHALL BE SENT TO THE
VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE OF THE
SENATE AND THE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
SECTION 2. THE DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
MAY ISSUE GUIDELINES TO IMPLEMENT AND ADMINISTER THE ADDITION OF
51 PA.C.S. CH. 96 SUBCH. D.
SECTION 3. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.
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