Pennsylvania SB 466: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Commonwealth services, further providing for powers and duties and for curriculum, training and education certification management system; in grants to fire companies and emergency medical services companies, further providing for award of grants to fire companies and for award of grants to emergency medical services companies and providing for expiration of authority; and making a repeal.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 418 PRINTER'S NO. 485
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 466
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BROOKS, MASTRIANO, DUSH, KANE, FARRY, CULVER,
HUTCHINSON, COSTA, STEFANO, FONTANA AND SANTARSIERO,
MARCH 18, 2025
SENATOR MASTRIANO, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
AS AMENDED, MARCH 26, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in Commonwealth services, further
providing for curriculum, training and education
certification management system. POWERS AND DUTIES AND FOR
CURRICULUM, TRAINING AND EDUCATION CERTIFICATION MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM; IN GRANTS TO FIRE COMPANIES AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES COMPANIES, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR AWARD OF GRANTS TO
FIRE COMPANIES AND FOR AWARD OF GRANTS TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES COMPANIES AND PROVIDING FOR EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY;
AND MAKING A REPEAL.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 7383.1(b) of Title 35 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
SECTION 1. SECTION 7313 OF TITLE 35 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA
CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS AMENDED BY ADDING A PARAGRAPH TO READ:
§ 7313. POWERS AND DUTIES.
THE AGENCY SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING POWERS AND DUTIES:
* * *
(22) PROVIDE SEMIANNUAL REPORTS OF ALL GRANTS AWARDED BY
THE AGENCY FROM FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE OR RELIEF FUNDS,
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HOMELAND SECURITY AND DEFENSE FUNDS, AVIAN FLU/PANDEMIC
PREPAREDNESS OR OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY FUNDS TO THE
CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE AND THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY
CHAIRPERSON OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES. THE REPORTS SHALL INCLUDE INFORMATION
RELATING TO THE ENTITY RECEIVING GRANT MONEY FROM THE AGENCY
ENTITIES THAT RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM FUNDS UNDER THIS
PARAGRAPH, INCLUDING THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF EACH ENTITY, THE
AMOUNT OF THE GRANT, THE DATE OF ISSUANCE AND THE PURPOSE OF
THE GRANT. REPORTS SHALL BE SUBMITTED BY AUGUST 20 FOR GRANTS
AWARDED DURING THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY 1 THROUGH JUNE 30 AND
BY FEBRUARY 20 FOR GRANTS AWARDED DURING THE PERIOD FROM JULY
1 THROUGH DECEMBER 31.
SECTION 2. SECTIONS 7383.1(B), 7813(C) AND 7823(C) OF TITLE
35 ARE AMENDED TO READ:
§ 7383.1. Curriculum, training and education certification
management system.
* * *
(b) Training.--
(1) Training shall be lecture-based, hands on or online.
(2) Training may be conducted at the Pennsylvania State
Fire Academy, a county training center, a community college
or other approved educational training agency.
(3) The training records shall be incorporated into the
training and education certification management system
approved by the commissioner.
(4) An individual who successfully completes fire
suppression training as a condition of employment may provide
a letter or certificate stating the number of hours of
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training completed, which is signed by the individual who
conducted the training, to the Office of the State Fire
Commissioner FOR APPROVAL to count towards the required
number of hours of instruction needed to obtain a Firefighter
I certification.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
§ 7813. AWARD OF GRANTS.
* * *
(C) TIME FOR FILING APPLICATION AND DEPARTMENT ACTION.--
(1) BY SEPTEMBER 8 OF EACH YEAR, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL
PROVIDE APPLICATIONS AND WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR GRANTS
UNDER THIS CHAPTER TO:
(I) EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II), THE
FIRE CHIEF AND PRESIDENT OF EVERY FIRE COMPANY; OR
(II) IN THE CASE OF A MUNICIPAL FIRE COMPANY, THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE MUNICIPALITY.
(2) (I) FIRE COMPANIES SEEKING GRANTS UNDER THIS
CHAPTER SHALL SUBMIT COMPLETED APPLICATIONS TO THE
COMMISSIONER AND THE MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THE FIRE
COMPANIES ARE LOCATED. [THE]
(II) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPHS (III)
AND (IV):
(A) THE APPLICATION PERIOD SHALL REMAIN OPEN FOR
45 DAYS EACH YEAR.
(B) THE AGENCY SHALL ACT TO APPROVE OR
DISAPPROVE APPLICATIONS WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE
APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE EACH YEAR.
(C) APPLICATIONS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR
DISAPPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER
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THE CLOSE OF THE APPLICATION PERIOD EACH YEAR SHALL
BE DEEMED APPROVED.
(III) UPON REQUEST BY A FIRE COMPANY, THE
COMMISSIONER MAY EXTEND THE APPLICATION PERIOD UNDER
SUBPARAGRAPH (II) FOR UP TO 45 ADDITIONAL DAYS IF THE
FIRE COMPANY DEMONSTRATES HARDSHIP OR UNDUE BURDEN THAT
PREVENTS THE FIRE COMPANY FROM SUBMITTING A COMPLETED
APPLICATION WITHIN THE APPLICATION PERIOD AND IF THE FIRE
COMPANY REQUESTS THE EXTENSION WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE
OF THE END OF THE APPLICATION PERIOD. THE COMMISSIONER
SHALL HAVE SOLE DISCRETION TO DETERMINE WHETHE