Pennsylvania HB 427: An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, providing for burial benefits.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 402
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 427
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY STAATS, HAMM, MARCELL, CONKLIN, PICKETT, JAMES,
CIRESI, POWELL, MENTZER, LABS, ROWE, SOLOMON AND GILLEN,
JANUARY 31, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 31, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs, providing for burial benefits.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 705.1. Burial benefits.
(a) Notice of deceased serviceperson to county.--
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a licensed funeral
director, funeral entity or cemetery company shall, within 96
hours of receipt of the remains of a deceased serviceperson ,
notify the county director of veterans affairs of a deceased
serviceperson having legal residence in the county at the
time of death and p rovide the family of the deceased
serviceperson with the contact information for the county
director of veterans affairs.
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(2) Paragraph (1) shall only apply to a cemetery company
if the cemetery company provides interment for the cremated
remains of a deceased serviceperson for whom a licensed
funeral director or funeral entity provided no goods or
services.
(b) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Cemetery company." As defined in 9 Pa.C.S. § 101 (relating
to definitions).
"Deceased serviceperson." As defined in 16 Pa.C.S. § 15508
(relating to definitions).
"Funeral entity." As defined in 49 Pa. Code § 13.1 (relating
to definitions).
"Licensed funeral director." As defined in 49 Pa. Code §
13.1.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20250HB0427PN0402 - 2 -
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