PRINTER'S NO. 3074
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2169
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, MURT, MALAGARI, ZABEL, KENYATTA, McNEILL,
KULIK, SHUSTERMAN, SCHLOSSBERG, WILLIAMS, ULLMAN, FARRY,
READSHAW, VITALI, HILL-EVANS, DELLOSO, HOWARD, SAINATO AND
CIRESI, JANUARY 2, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 2, 2020
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), entitled
"An act providing for the payment of death benefits to the
surviving spouse or children or parents of firefighters,
ambulance service or rescue squad members, law enforcement
officers or National Guard members who die as a result of the
performance of their duties," further providing for death
benefit amount.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1(d), (e) and (f) of the act of June 24,
1976 (P.L.424, No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law
Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, are amended to read:
Section 1. * * *
(d) Upon receipt of such certification, the Commonwealth
shall, from moneys payable out of the General Fund, pay to the
surviving spouse or, if there is no surviving spouse, to the
minor children of the paid firefighter, ambulance service or
rescue squad member or law enforcement officer who died as a
result of the performance of his duty the sum of [$100,000]
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$300,000, adjusted in accordance with subsection (f) of this
section and an amount equal to the monthly salary, adjusted in
accordance with subsection (f) of this section, of the deceased
paid firefighter, ambulance service or rescue squad member or
law enforcement officer, less any workers' compensation or
pension or retirement benefits paid to such survivors, and shall
continue such monthly payments until there is no eligible
beneficiary to receive them. For the purpose of this subsection,
the term "eligible beneficiary" means the surviving spouse or
the child or children under the age of eighteen years or, if
attending college, under the age of twenty-three years, of the
firefighter, ambulance service or rescue squad member or law
enforcement officer who died as a result of the performance of
his duty. When no spouse or minor children survive, a single sum
of [$100,000] $300,000, adjusted in accordance with subsection
(f) of this section, shall be paid to the parent or parents of
such firefighter, ambulance service member, rescue squad member
or law enforcement officer.
(e) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall pay out of the
General Fund to the surviving spouse or, if there is no
surviving spouse, the minor children of a National Guard member,
certified hazardous material response team member, member of the
Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol, volunteer firefighter, ambulance
service or rescue squad member who died as a result of the
performance of his duties the sum of [$100,000] $300,000,
adjusted in accordance with subsection (f) of this section. When
no spouse or minor children survive, the benefit shall be paid
to the parent or parents of such National Guard member,
certified hazardous material response team member, member of the
Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol, volunteer firefighter, ambulance
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service or rescue squad member. The benefit shall be payable
whether or not the National Guard member or certified hazardous
material response team member, member of the Pennsylvania Civil
Air Patrol, volunteer firefighter, ambulance service or rescue
squad member died as a result of the performance of his duty
within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(f) On July 1, [2006] 2021, and each July 1 thereafter, the
Commonwealth shall adjust the level of the benefit payable
immediately before July 1 under subsections (d) and (e) of this
section to reflect the annual percentage change in the Consumer
Price Index for All Urban Consumers, published by the United
States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
occurring in the one-year period ending on January 1 immediately
preceding July 1.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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