1Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for
3death action.

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

6Section 1. Section 8301(b) of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
7Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

8§ 8301. Death action.

9* * *

10(b) Beneficiaries.--

11(1) Except as provided in subsection (d), the right of
12action created by this section shall exist only for the
13benefit of the spouse, children or parents of the deceased,
14whether or not citizens or residents of this Commonwealth or
15elsewhere. The damages recovered shall be distributed to the
16beneficiaries in the proportion they would take the personal
17estate of the decedent in the case of intestacy and without
18liability to creditors of the deceased person under the

1statutes of this Commonwealth.

2(2) For the purposes of this subsection, stepchildren
3who were dependent upon the decedent at the time of death for
4support shall participate in the damages as though they were
5issue of the decedent.

6* * *

7Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.