House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

Posted:	January 6, 2015 02:07 PM
From:	Representative Ted Harhai
To:	All House members
Subject:	Amendment to the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code

In the near future, I intend to introduce a bill to amend Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, to permit the grandchild of a decedent to be reimbursed from the decedent’s bank account assets for funeral expenses paid by the grandchild. This is a re-introduction of HB1662 (2013-2014), which passed the house 197-0. Presently, Section 3101(b) of Title 20 permits reimbursement from a decedents bank deposits in amounts not exceeding $3,500 to the spouse, children, parents or siblings of a decedent for reimbursement of the funeral expenses of the decedent. A grandchild, however, is not entitled to such a reimbursement. Recently, I was made aware of a situation where the decedent was 103 years of age at death. Her only asset was a bank account with a balance of $377.00. At the time of her death she had no spouse, child, father or mother, sister or brother, who survived her. However, she did have a number of grandchildren, one of whom paid the funeral bill. With the advanced age of many decedents nowadays, I believe it is only fair to add grandchild to the listing of family members entitled to be reimbursed for funeral expenses incurred on behalf of a decedent. Otherwise, rather than going to the grandchild who advanced the funeral expenses, any remaining bank deposits will ultimately escheat to the Commonwealth. I welcome your co-sponsorship of this legislation.
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Introduced as HB443