House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

In the near future, I plan to re-introduce House Bill 2653 of the 2011-2012 Legislative Session, which will amend Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to establish a PEMA program that funds financial awards for information that leads to the capture and arrest of an individual who has killed a law enforcement officer.

Every day, brave and dedicated law enforcement officers courageously put their lives on the line to ensure public safety and the well-being of our families, friends and neighbors. Sadly, as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 72 law enforcement officers across the United States were killed in the line of duty in 2011. In many of these cases, the perpetrators have not been apprehended.

My legislation would create a new subchapter in Title 35 to establish a fund under the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) that would be used to provide monetary incentives (up to $50,000) to individuals who provide information leading to the capture and arrest of a perpetrator of criminal homicide of a law enforcement officer. The funding for this reward will be appropriated on an annual basis from the State Gaming Fund to the Law Enforcement Line of Duty Death Reward Fund, which would be administered by PEMA.

Murder in any form is a vicious crime. As state lawmakers, I believe we have an obligation to ensure that all stakeholders in our criminal justice system are armed with the resources they need to investigate and prosecute these heinous crimes. My legislation is designed to create an additional incentive to aid in these efforts.

Previous Cosponsors: CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, DALEY, DAVIS, HANNA, HORNAMAN, JAMES, MIRABITO, PARKER, SCHMOTZER and DEASY