Section 781.9 - Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund(a) There is established a restricted account in the State Treasury to be known as the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund.(b) Moneys in the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund shall consist of contributions deposited into the fund pursuant to section 301.4(e)(2).(c) Moneys in the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund are appropriated on a continuing basis, upon approval of the Governor, to the department to be prioritized for the following purposes: (1) To improve the quality, efficiency and timeliness of services provided by the service center system to individuals claiming compensation under this act, including claim filing, claim administration, adjudication services and staffing and training of system employes.(2) Expenditures for information management technology, communications technology and other infrastructure components that the secretary determines are likely to result in significant and lasting improvements to the unemployment compensation system.(3) To pay the costs of collecting the contributions deposited into the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund pursuant to section 301.4(e)(2).(4) To pay for any costs related to the preparation of the unemployment compensation system to end its reliance on transfers to the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund.(d) Consistent with the merit staffing requirement of section 303(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. § 503 (a)(1)), no moneys in the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund may be expended or obligated to a third party to perform unemployment compensation services of the department, except services relating to technology and infrastructure components deemed necessary by the secretary under subsection (c)(2).(e) Any moneys in the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund that are not expended or obligated as of December 31, 2023, shall be transferred to the Unemployment Compensation Fund under section 601.(f) Moneys in the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund shall not lapse at any time nor be transferred to any other fund except as provided in subsection (e).(g) No later than June 30 of each calendar year from 2014 through 2024, the department shall provide a report to the Governor and the General Assembly, through the Secretary-Parliamentarian of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, regarding the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund, which report shall include an accounting for the contributions deposited into the fund, the expenditures and transfers from the fund during the prior year and a description of the purposes for which expenditures from the fund were made in the prior year.(h) No later than June 15, 2017, the department shall submit a report to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Labor and Industry Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Labor and Industry Committee of the House of Representatives. The report shall describe the department's plan to eliminate the department's reliance on moneys transferred into the Service and Infrastructure Improvement Fund for recurring operational costs. The General Assembly shall consider the information contained in the report when reviewing a supplemental funding request by the department FOR CALENDAR YEARS BEGINNING AFTER 2017.(i) It is the intention of the General Assembly to separately review a supplemental funding request by the department for technological upgrades to the delivery system for unemployment compensation benefits. The request shall be submitted with the report required by subsection (h) and shall include all of the following:(1) A detailed description of the technological upgrades to the delivery system for unemployment compensation benefits.(2) An explanation of the improvements to the unemployment compensation benefits delivery system that will result from the technological upgrades.(3) The total estimated cost of the technological upgrades to the delivery system for unemployment compensation benefits, including the total estimated cost each year and any additional funding sources that can be used for the project.(4) T he total estimated cost savings that will result from the technological upgrades to the delivery system for unemployment compensation benefits.(5) The time period, as specified in years, that will be necessary for the department to complete the technological upgrades to the delivery system for unemployment compensation benefits.(6) Information on a proposal received or contract executed for technological upgrades to the delivery system for unemployment compensation benefits if publicly accessible under the act of February 14, 2008 ( P.L. 6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law.(7) A detailed description of how the technological upgrades to the delivery system for unemployment compensation benefits will impact any related recommendations in a special performance audit conducted by the Auditor General.Amended by P.L. TBD 2017 No. 60, § 2, eff. 12/20/2017.Amended by P.L. TBD 2017 No. 1, § 3, eff. 4/24/2017.Added by P.L. 195 2013 No. 34, § 2, eff. 7/2/2013.