Pennsylvania SB 737: An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in municipal authorities, further providing for definitions, providing for public safety authorities and further providing for purposes and powers.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 758 PRINTER'S NO. 1278
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 737
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BAKER, KEARNEY, COMITTA, BROWN, VOGEL, COSTA,
STEFANO, CAPPELLETTI, SCHWANK AND DUSH, MAY 7, 2025
SENATOR MASTRIANO, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 27, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in municipal authorities, further
providing for definitions, providing for public safety
authorities and further providing for purposes and powers.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 5602 of Title 53 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
§ 5602. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Public safety projects." The term includes any or all of
the following:
(1) Emergency medical services.
(2) Both the provision and the availability of services,
including administrative support, coordination of service
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delivery and financing services, relating to emergency
medical services.
* * *
Section 2. Title 53 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 5606.1. Public safety authorities.
(a) Authorization.--Except as provided under subsection (h) ,
the creation of an authority for the purpose of public safety
projects shall be restricted to a county. Counties may enter
into an agreement to create a joint authority under this
subsection.
(b) Municipal representation.--A county that creates a
public safety authority shall make a reasonable effort to
include representatives of the municipalities the county serves
in the governance structure of the public safety authority.
(c) Satisfaction of requirement to provide emergency
services.--A municipality's requirement under the laws of this
Commonwealth to provide emergency services shall be satisfied by
entering into a contract or agreement with a public safety
authority under this section.
(d) Contracts.--
(1) Municipalities may enter into contracts or
agreements with the authority as may be deemed necessary or
convenient in connection with a public safety project.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), a public safety
authority may not provide services or assess rates or other
charges without the municipality opting by ordinance to enter
into a contract with the authority.
(3) In the case of an authority operating as a dedicated
emergency response organization as defined in 35 Pa.C.S. §
7332 (relating to definitions), nothing in this subsection is
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intended to interfere with or relieve the dedicated emergency
response organization from an obligation or commitment to
respond to a dispatch from a public safety answering point or
mutual aid system or to invoice and receive payment from an
appropriate party for the services rendered.
(e) Rates and other charges.--
(1) In addition to any other power of an authority to
fix, alter, charge and collect rates and other charges in the
area served by its facilities, a public safety authority may
fix, alter, charge and collect rates and other charges for
the services that the authority provides, which rates and
charges shall be reasonable and uniform. The fixing or
altering of a rate or other charge or a change to the manner
in which a rate or other charge is charged or collected under
this subsection must comply with all applicable notice
requirements under 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open
meetings) and 45 Pa.C.S. (relating to legal notices).
(2) A public safety authority must comply with section
5612 (relating to money of authority).
(f) Existing authorities.--Notwithstanding any provision of
this section, an authority that provides public safety services
in existence on the effective date of this section shall be
permitted to continue operation, without limitation, as a public
safety project as provided under this section.
(g) Duties of Department of Community and Economic
Development.--The Department of Community and Economic
Development, in consultation with the Director of the Bureau of
Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health in
relation to emergency medical services authorities, shall:
(1) Work with relevant stakeholders to develop guidance
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and assistance for counties to create public safety
authorities under this section.
(2) Contract with educational and technical assistance
providers to aid counties in starting and operating public
safety authorities.
(h) Municipal authorization.--Municipalities in a county may
create a joint public safety authority if:
(1) the county, by resolution, states that it