(a) Mandatory.--The office has the following duties:

(1) To appoint agents and employees necessary to the administration of this subchapter and to prescribe their duties and to fix their compensation within the limitations provided by law.

(2) To accept grants from the Federal Government and any other individual, agency or government for use in the Volunteer Companies Loan Fund.

(3) To loan money over a term of years, but in no case in excess of 20 years.

(3.1) To establish criteria to determine need for firefighting apparatus, ambulances and rescue vehicles and to establish guidelines and procedures for volunteer companies to show just cause to determine that need.

(4) To promulgate regulations and develop guidelines and procedures as it deems necessary to carry out its powers and duties under this subchapter.

(b) Discretionary.--The office has the following powers:

(1) To require security for all loans.

(2) To specify priority of liens against any facilities, apparatus equipment, ambulances, rescue vehicles or any equipment purchased by volunteer companies using funds loaned under this subchapter to pay all or any part of the purchase price, as the office may require by established guidelines and procedures. The commissioner may specify the type of liens or collateral authorized as security under this paragraph.

(3) To reject a loan application based on the criteria established under subsection (a).

(Dec. 23, 2013, P.L.1256, No.129, eff. 60 days)

2013 Amendment. Act 129 amended the section heading, subsecs. (a) intro. par. and (4) and (b) intro. par. and (2) and added subsecs. (a)(3.1) and (b)(3).