(a) (Reserved).

(b) Payment to counties.--

(1) The money paid into the Liquid Fuels Tax Fund under section 9502(a)(5)(i) (relating to imposition of tax), except that which is refunded, shall be paid to the respective counties of this Commonwealth on June 1 and December 1 of each year in the ratio that the average amount returned to each county during the three preceding years bears to the average amount returned to all counties during the three preceding years.

(2) All money received by the counties under paragraph (1) shall be deposited and maintained in a special fund designated as the County Liquid Fuels Tax Fund. No other money shall be deposited and commingled into the County Liquid Fuels Tax Fund, except in a county which does not have sufficient money in such special fund to provide for payments designated in the current annual budget.

(i) Payment from that special fund shall be for the following purposes:

(A) Construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads, highways, bridges and curb ramps from a road or highway to provide for access by individuals with disabilities consistent with Federal and State law.

(B) Property damages and compensation of viewers for services in eminent domain proceedings involving roads, highways and bridges.

(C) Construction, reconstruction, operation and maintenance of publicly owned ferryboat operations.

(D) Interest and principal payments on road, bridge or publicly owned ferryboat operation bonds or sinking fund charges for such bonds becoming due within the current calendar year.

(E) Acquisition, maintenance, repair and operation of traffic signs and traffic signals.

(F) Erection and maintenance of stop and go signal lights, blinkers and other like traffic control devices.

(G) Indirect costs, including benefit costs, overhead and other administrative charges for those county employees directly engaged in eligible projects. Expenditures under this clause may not exceed 10% of the yearly allocation to the county.

(H) Individual vehicle liability insurance for equipment purchased under the fund. Expenditures under this clause may not exceed 10% of the yearly allocation to the county.

(ii) The county for the purpose of payments under subparagraph (i) may borrow and place in the special fund money not in excess of the liquid fuels tax funds to be received during the current calendar year. Loans shall be repaid from the special fund before the expiration of the current calendar year and not thereafter. Money so received and deposited shall be used only for the following purposes:

(A) Construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads, highways, bridges and curb ramps from a road or highway to provide for access by individuals with disabilities consistent with Federal and State law.

(B) Payment of property damage and compensation of viewers for services in eminent domain proceedings involving roads, highways and bridges occasioned by the relocation or construction of highways and bridges.

(C) Construction, reconstruction, operation and maintenance of publicly owned ferryboat operations.

(D) Payment of interest and sinking fund charges on bonds issued or used for highways and bridge purposes and publicly owned ferryboat operations.

(E) Acquisition, maintenance, repair and operation of traffic signs and traffic signals.

(iii) No expenditures from the special fund shall be made by the county commissioners for new construction on roads, bridges, curb ramps or publicly owned ferryboat operations without the approval of the plans for construction by the department.

(iv) The county commissioners shall not allocate money from the special fund to any political subdivision within the county until the application and the contracts or plans for the proposed expenditures have been made on a form prescribed by the department.

(v) The county commissioners of each county shall make to the department, by January 15 for the period ending December 31, on a form prescribed by the department a report showing the receipts and expenditures of the money received by the county from the Commonwealth under this section. Copies of the report shall be transmitted to the department and to the Department of the Auditor General for audit.

(vi) Upon the failure of the county commissioners to file the report or to make any payments, allocations or expenditures in compliance with this section, the department shall withhold further payments to the county out of the Liquid Fuels Tax Fund until the delinquent report is filed, the money is allocated or the expenditures for the prior 12 months are approved by the department.

(c) Allocation of money.--Except as set forth in subsection (c.1), the county commissioners may allocate and apportion money from the County Liquid Fuels Tax Fund to the political subdivisions within the county in the ratio as provided in this subsection. When the unencumbered balance in the County Liquid Fuels Tax Fund is greater than the receipts for the 12 months immediately preceding the date of either of the reports, the county commissioners shall notify the political subdivisions to make application within 90 days for participation in the redistribution of the unencumbered balance. Redistribution shall be effected within 120 days of the date of either of the reports. The county commissioners may distribute the unencumbered balance in excess of 50% of the receipts for the previous 12 months to the political subdivisions making application in the following manner:

(1) Fifty percent of the money shall be allocated and apportioned among the political subdivisions within the county in the ratio which the total mileage of all roads and streets maintained by each political subdivision making application bears to the total mileage of all the roads and streets maintained by all political subdivisions making application in the county as of January 1 of the year in which an allocation is made.

(2) The remaining 50% of the money shall be allocated and apportioned among the same political subdivisions on a population basis in the ratio which the population in each political division making an application bears to the total population of all political subdivisions making application.

(3) In the case of an emergency and upon approval of the Department of Transportation, the county commissioners may enter into contracts and obligations for the expenditure of the estimated liquid fuels tax receipts for a period not exceeding two years and receive a credit for expenditures against subsequent receipts. No county may carry over any credit balance against future fuel tax receipts from year to year.

(c.1) Forfeiture.--All money allocated under subsection (c) to a political subdivision which, under section 6109(a) (relating to specific powers of department and local authorities), violates section 6101(a) (relating to applicability and uniformity of title) shall be withheld by the county during the period of time in which the municipality is in violation of section 6101(a).

(c.2) Release funds.--Upon notification that the local authority has repealed or substantially amended the ordinance to remove the language that was found to be in violation of section 6101(a), the county shall release those funds withheld by the county and due the local agency.

(d) Copies of laws.--The Department of Transportation shall annually issue to the county commissioners and to the corporate authorities of the political subdivisions in the counties copies of the laws with special reference to pertinent provisions and regulations relating to the receipts and expenditures of any funds authorized to be apportioned, allocated or expended.

(e) Appropriation.--

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection and notwithstanding the provisions of section 3 of the act of June 1, 1956 (1955 P.L.1944, No.655), referred to as the Liquid Fuels Tax Municipal Allocation Law, the entire revenues from 1¢ of the tax imposed by this chapter are hereby appropriated to the Department of Transportation.

(2) The following apply insofar as consistent with section 9102 (relating to distribution of State highway maintenance funds):

(i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii), the department shall use the revenues appropriated to it under this subsection for the maintenance and resurfacing of secondary roads.

(ii) The revenues shall be apportioned by the department for expenditure in the several counties of this Commonwealth in the ratio that the total mileage of State highways in any county bears to the total mileage of State highways in this Commonwealth.

(3) The tax of 1 1/2¢ a gallon imposed and assessed on liquid fuels used or sold and delivered for use as a fuel in propeller-driven aircraft or aircraft engines, the tax of 1 1/2¢ a gallon on liquid fuels used or sold and delivered for use as a fuel in jet or turbojet-propelled aircraft or aircraft engines in lieu of other taxes, all penalties and interests and all interest earned on deposits of the Liquid Fuels Tax Fund shall be paid into the Motor License Fund. This money is specifically appropriated for the same purposes for which money in the Motor License Fund is appropriated by law.

(Oct. 24, 2012, P.L.1473, No.187, eff. 60 days; Nov. 25, 2013, P.L.974, No.89, eff. Jan. 1, 2014)

2013 Amendment. Act 89 amended subsecs. (a), (b)(1) and (e)(3). See the preamble to Act 89 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to legislative findings and declarations.

2012 Amendment. Act 187 amended subsec. (c) intro. par. and added subsecs. (c.1) and (c.2).

Cross References. Section 9010 is referred to in sections 1935, 6101, 9023, 9502, 9511.11 of this title.