Pennsylvania HB 108: An Act providing for real property emergency services funds in municipalities.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 86
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 108
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY KULIK, SANCHEZ, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS, HANBIDGE,
HADDOCK, SCHLOSSBERG, HOHENSTEIN, McANDREW, HARKINS, JAMES,
FLEMING AND OTTEN, JANUARY 14, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 14, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for real property emergency services funds in
municipalities.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Real Property
Emergency Services Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Accessory equipment." Firefighting and rescue equipment
necessary to carry out the ordinary functions of supporting fire
and rescue activities.
"Apparatus equipment." Elevated equipment, pumpers, tankers,
ladder trucks, utility or special services vehicles, rescue
vehicles or other large equipment used by firefighters.
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"Communications equipment." A voice or original transmission
system required to support the operation of a fire company or
for emergency medical services.
"Firehouse." As follows:
(1) A facility used by a fire company to house
firefighting equipment.
(2) The term does not include meeting halls, social
rooms or any other facilities not directly relating to
firefighting.
"Fund." A real property emergency services fund established
by a municipality under section 3(a).
"Municipality." Any of the following:
(1) A city of the first class, second class, second
class A or third class.
(2) A borough.
(3) An incorporated town.
(4) A township.
(5) A home rule municipality.
(6) A similar general purpose unit of government
established by the General Assembly.
"Protective equipment."
(1) Equipment used by firefighters to protect
firefighters from injury while performing duties, including
helmets, turnout coats and pants, boots, eyeshields, gloves
and self-contained respiratory protection units.
(2) Equipment used by emergency medical technicians,
paramedics and other emergency medical response personnel to
protect from injury while performing duties, including face
masks, face shields, gowns and gloves.
"Rescue vehicle." A vehicle used for rescue services,
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including vehicle rescue or water rescue.
"Utility or special services vehicle." A vehicle carrying
accessory equipment, including ladders, oxygen equipment,
generators and adapters, floodlights, smoke ejectors and other
equipment necessary to perform the ordinary functions of
supporting firefighting activities.
Section 3. Real property emergency services funds.
(a) Requirements.--Each municipality shall establish a real
property emergency services fund.
(b) Use of fund.--A municipality shall use money in the fund
to supplement a municipal emergency services allocation. The
money in the fund may only be expended for:
(1) The purchase or maintenance of accessory equipment,
apparatus equipment, communications equipment and protective
equipment used by volunteer firefighters or firefighters
employed by the municipality for firefighting, emergency
response services and training purposes.
(2) The purchase or maintenance of rescue vehicles or
utility or special services vehicles used by volunteer
firefighters or firefighters employed by the municipality for
firefighting, emergency response services and training
purposes.
(3) Construction or maintenance of firehouses.
(4) Salaries of firefighters who are employed by the
municipality.
(5) The purchase or maintenance of medical equipment,
communications equipment or protective equipment used for
emergency medical response services and training purposes by
volunteer emergency medical technicians, emergency medical
technicians, paramedics and other emergency medical response
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personnel employed by the municipality.
(6) The purchase or maintenance of ambulances or other
vehicles used for emergency medical response services and
training purposes by volunteer emergency medical technicians,
emergency medical technicians, paramedics or other emergency
medical response personnel employed by the municipality.
(7) Construction or maintenance of facilities used for
storing or maintaining emergency medical services equipment,
including ambulances and other vehicles.
(8) Salaries of emergency medical technicians,
paramedics or other emergency medical response personnel who
are employed by the municipality.
(9) Costs incurred by contracting with a third-party
entity that provides emergency medical services for the
municipality.
(c) Fee.--Within 15 days of closing on the sale of real
property, the buyer and se