1Amending Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries) of the
2Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for
3payments to family and funeral directors.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6Section 1. Section 3101(b) and (c) of Title 20 of the
7Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

8§ 3101. Payments to family and funeral directors.

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10(b) Deposit account.--Any bank, savings association, savings
11and loan association, building and loan association, credit
12union or other savings organization, at any time after the death
13of a depositor, member or certificate holder, may pay the amount
14on deposit or represented by the certificate, when the total
15standing to the credit of the decedent in that institution does
16not exceed [$3,500] $10,000, to the spouse, any child, the
17father or mother or any sister or brother (preference being
18given in the order named) of the deceased depositor, member or

1certificate holder, provided that a receipted funeral bill or an
2affidavit, executed by a licensed funeral director which sets
3forth that satisfactory arrangements for payment of funeral
4services have been made, is presented. Any bank, association,
5union or other savings organization making such a payment shall
6be released to the same extent as if payment had been made to a
7duly appointed personal representative of the decedent and it
8shall not be required to see to the application thereof. Any
9person to whom payment is made shall be answerable therefor to
10anyone prejudiced by an improper distribution.

11(c) Patient's care account.--When the decedent was a
12qualified recipient of medical assistance from the Department of
13Public Welfare, the facility in which he was a patient may make
14payment of funds, if any, remaining in the patient's care
15account, for the decedent's burial expenses to a licensed
16funeral director in an amount not exceeding [$3,500] $10,000
17whether or not a personal representative has been appointed.
18After the payment of decedent's burial expenses, the facility
19may pay the balance of decedent's patient's care account, as
20long as the payments including the payment for burial expenses
21does not exceed [$4,000] $10,000, to the spouse, any child, the
22father or mother or any sister or brother (preference being
23given in the order named) of the deceased patient. Any facility
24making such a payment shall be released to the same extent as if
25payment had been made to a duly appointed personal
26representative of the decedent and it shall not be required to
27see to the application thereof. Any licensed funeral director or
28other person to whom payment is made shall be answerable
29therefor to anyone prejudiced by an improper distribution.

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1Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.