Pennsylvania HB 1485: An Act amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, further providing for death benefits for public works employees, coroners and staff persons and for definitions; and making an editorial change.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1739 PRINTER'S NO. 2881
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1485
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, McNEILL, PROBST, SANCHEZ, BRIGGS, MADDEN,
McANDREW, NEILSON, D. WILLIAMS, DELLOSO, BRENNAN, CEPEDA-
FREYTIZ AND SCOTT, MAY 16, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), entitled
"An act providing for the payment of death benefits to the
surviving spouse or children or parents of firefighters,
ambulance service or rescue squad members, law enforcement
officers or National Guard members who die as a result of the
performance of their duties," further providing for death
benefits FOR PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES, CORONERS AND STAFF
PERSONS and for definitions; and making an editorial change.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The title and section 1(a) introductory paragraph
and (1), (a.1), (c) and (e) of the act of June 24, 1976
(P.L.424, No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law
Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, are amended to read:
SECTION 1. THE TITLE AND SECTION 1(A) INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
AND (1), (A.1), (C) AND (D) OF THE ACT OF JUNE 24, 1976
(P.L.424, NO.101), REFERRED TO AS THE EMERGENCY AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL DEATH BENEFITS ACT, ARE AMENDED AND THE
SECTION IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SUBSECTION TO READ:
AN ACT
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Providing for the payment of death benefits to the surviving
spouse or children or parents of firefighters, ambulance
service or rescue squad members, law enforcement officers,
public works employees , CORONERS or National Guard members
who die as a result of the performance of their duties.
Section 1. (a) In the event a law enforcement officer,
ambulance service or rescue squad member, firefighter, certified
hazardous material response team member, member of the
Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol, CORONER, public works employee or
National Guard member dies as a result of the performance of his
duties, an application, including a certification of death,
shall be made to the department within three years of the date
of such death by any of the following:
(1) A political subdivision or an authority created by a
political subdivision.
* * *
(a.1) A firefighter, ambulance service or rescue squad
member, law enforcement officer, certified hazardous material
response team member, member of the Pennsylvania Civil Air
Patrol, CORONER, public works employee or National Guard member
who suffers a fatal heart attack or stroke while on duty or not
later than 24 hours after participating in a physical training
exercise or responding to an emergency is presumed to have died
as a result of the performance of his duties for purposes of
this act.
* * *
(c) A volunteer ambulance service, certified hazardous
material response team or rescue squad member, public works
employee or member of the Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol shall be
deemed to be acting in the performance of his duties for the
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purposes of this act going to or directly returning from an
emergency which the ambulance service, certified hazardous
material response team, rescue squad, public works employee or
member of the Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol attended including
travel from and direct return to an ambulance service, certified
hazardous material response team, rescue squad, public works
employee or Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol member's home, place
of business or other place where he or she shall have been when
he or she received the call or alarm or while participating in
drills in which the ambulance service, certified hazardous
material response team, rescue squad, municipality, municipal
authority or Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol shall have
participated or while repairing or doing other work about or on
any emergency vehicle or buildings and grounds of the ambulance
service, certified hazardous material response team, rescue
squad, municipality, municipal authority or Pennsylvania Civil
Air Patrol upon the authorization of the chief of the ambulance
service, certified hazardous material response team, rescue
squad, municipality, municipal authority or Pennsylvania Civil
Air Patrol or other person in charge while answering any
emergency calls for any purpose or while riding upon any
vehicles which are owned or used by the ambulance service,
certified hazardous material response team, rescue squad or
Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol.
(D) UPON RECEIPT OF SUCH CERTIFICATION, THE COMMONWEALTH
SHALL, FROM MONEYS PAYABLE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, PAY TO THE
SURVIVING SPOUSE OR, IF THERE IS NO SURVIVING SPOUSE, TO THE
MINOR CHILDREN OF THE PAID FIREFIGHTER, AMBULANCE SERVICE OR
RESCUE SQUAD MEMBER [OR], LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, PUBLIC WORKS
EMPLOYEE OR