HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 216, 1128
PRINTER'S NO. 1222
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
248
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, MASTRIANO, DUSH, J. WARD,
BARTOLOTTA, TARTAGLIONE, YAW, K. WARD, MARTIN, SCHWANK,
ROBINSON, SCAVELLO, PITTMAN, AUMENT AND BROOKS,
FEBRUARY 18, 2021
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
NOVEMBER 9, 2021
AN ACT
Amending Title 38 (Holidays and Observances) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, providing for holidays and
observances.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 38 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding parts to read:
PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
(Reserved)
PART II
SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
Chapter
11. Preliminary Provisions (Reserved)
13. Veteran Recognition
15. FIRST RESPONDERS RECOGNITION
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CHAPTER 11
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
(Reserved)
CHAPTER 13
VETERAN RECOGNITION
Sec.
1301. Scope of chapter.
1302. Persian Gulf War Veterans Day.
1303. Global War on Terrorism Veterans Day.
§ 1301. Scope of chapter.
This chapter recognizes the contributions of veterans of the
United States Armed Forces from this Commonwealth in major
conflicts since the Vietnam War.
§ 1302. Persian Gulf War Veterans Day.
(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) On August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein ordered Iraqi
troops to invade and occupy the sovereign nation of Kuwait.
(2) The United States led an international coalition
demanding Saddam Hussein to withdraw Iraqi forces from Kuwait
by January 15, 1991.
(3) After Iraq failed to meet the deadline, passed by
the United Nations Security Council, President George H. W.
Bush on January 16, 1991, ordered United States Armed Forces
to begin "Operation Desert Storm."
(4) On January 17, 750,000 coalition forces from 36
nations, including 540,000 United States Armed Forces, began
the battle to liberate Kuwait from occupation.
(5) After an intensive air campaign, coalition forces
liberated Kuwait City on February 28, 1991.
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(6) On March 6, after negotiating a cease-fire,
President Bush announced the end of combat operations.
(7) By the end of the conflict, 200 United States Armed
Forces members were killed, including 29 from this
Commonwealth.
(8) The bravery of United States Armed Forces and their
allies should be recognized for the liberation of Kuwait and
restoration of Kuwait's sovereignty as an independent nation.
(b) Designation.--March 6 of each year is designated as
" Persian Gulf War Veterans Day."
(c) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
proclamation encouraging all public schools and educational
institutions to observe " Persian Gulf War Veterans Day" and to
conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all those
involved in the Persian Gulf War and remembering the sacrifices
they made for their country. The proclamation may not mandate a
public school or educational institution to participate in the
observance.
§ 1303. Global War on Terrorism Veterans Day.
(a) Legislative findings and declarations.--The General
Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The campaign in Afghanistan, which is America's
longest conflict, began in 2001 and continues to this day.
AMERICA'S CONFLICT IN AFGHANISTAN BEGAN IN 2001 AND BECAME
OUR COUNTRY'S LONGEST MILITARY CONFLICT.
(2) Following the terrorist attacks on September 11,
2001, the United States demanded that the Taliban regime stop
harboring Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible
for the 9/11 attacks, and hand over the Al Qaeda leader Osama
bin Laden.
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(3) President George W. Bush ordered United States Armed
Forces to begin "Operation Enduring Freedom" (OEF) to combat
terrorism in Afghanistan and confront Al Qaeda.
(4) United States Armed Forces first entered Afghanistan
and began combat operations on October 7, 2001.
(5) On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed during
the fighting after President Barack Obama ordered Navy SEALs
to raid Osama bin Laden's compound.
(6) On December 31, 2014, the United States and the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) combat operations
in Afghanistan officially ended.
(7) Since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom,
over 830,000 Americans, including 18,000 from this
Commonwealth, have served in Afghanistan.
(8) More than 2,000 members of the United States Armed
Forces, including 98 from this Commonwealth, were killed in
action in Afghanistan since combat began.
(9) More than 19,000 members of the United States Armed
Forces were wounded in service to their country during
Operation Enduring Freedom.
(10) When Operation Enduring Freedom ended, the United
States began a new phase of the campaign, named Operation
Freedom's Sentinel (OFS).
(11) United States Armed Forces remain in the country to
participate in a coalition mission to train, advise and
assist Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and to
conduct counterterrorism operations against the remnants of
Al Qaeda.
(12) During Operation Freedom's Sentinel more than 70
Americans have lost their lives and another 453 have been
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wounded in action.
(13) On March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush
announced the beginning of combat operations in Iraq after
Saddam Hussein failed to meet the demands of the United
States.
(14) "Operation Iraqi Freedom" lasted for more than
seven years, reducing the influence of insurgents, stopping
sectarian violence, assisting in training the Iraq Security
Forces and promoting the development of Iraq's constitution
and elections.
(15) Major United States combat operations ended on
September 1, 2010. American troops remained in the country to
advise Iraqi Security Forces as part of "Operation New Dawn"
until the withdrawal on December 15, 2011.
(16) More than 4,000 members of the United States Armed
Forces lost their lives during "Operation Iraqi Freedom" and
"Operation New Dawn," including 197 from this Commonwealth,
and more than 32,000 were wounded.
(17) With the rise of the terrorist group known as the
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the United States
created a new combined joint task force in 2014, dubbed
"Operation Inherent Resolve."
(18) March 23, 2019, marked the end of ISIS controlling
any physical territory IN SYRIA AND IRAQ .
(19) United States Armed Forces under "Operation
Inherent Resolve" continue to work by, with and through local
partners to defeat the final ISIS force and stabilize the
region.
(20) The fight against ISIS under "Operation Inherent
Resolve" has claimed more than 80 American lives, with
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another 80 wounded in action.
(21) United States military personnel have served
domestically securing key infrastructure and support overseas
operation.
(22) Since September 11, 2001, members of the United
States military have served on nearly every continent
fighting international terrorism.
(b) Designation.-- October 7 of each year is designated as
" Global War on Terrorism Veterans Day."
(c) Proclamation.--The Governor shall issue annually a
proclamation encouraging all public schools and educational
institutions to observe " Global War on Terrorism Veterans Day"
and to conduct exercises recognizing the contributions of all
those involved in the Global War on Terrorism and remembering
the sacrifices they made for their country. The proclamation may
not mandate a public school or educational institution to
participate in the observance.
CHAPTER 15
FIRST RESPONDERS RECOGNITION
SEC.
1501. DEFINITIONS (RESERVED).
1502. FIRST RESPONDERS DAY.
§ 1501. DEFINITIONS (RESERVED).
§ 1502. FIRST RESPONDERS DAY.
(A) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS.--THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES AS FOLLOWS:
(1) OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, WHO ARE POLICE, FIRE,
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE (EMS) AND PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONNEL,
WORK SELFLESSLY ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMONWEALTH,
REGARDLESS OF THE RISK OR HAZARD, AND TRULY ARE CITIZENS
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SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
(2) MOST PENNSYLVANIANS HAVE BENEFITED IN SOME WAY FROM
THE COURAGEOUS SERVICE OF FIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS THIS
COMMONWEALTH.
(3) FIRST RESPONDERS CARRY OUT THE CRITICAL ROLE OF
PROTECTING AND ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY IN EMERGENCY
SITUATIONS.
(4) THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO BRAVELY SERVE AS FIRST
RESPONDERS HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES ON THE FRONT LINES OF
HOMELAND DEFENSE IN THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM.
(5) FIRST RESPONDERS ARE CALLED UPON IN THE EVENT OF
NATURAL DISASTERS, SUCH AS HURRICANES, TORNADOES, FLOODING
AND PANDEMICS.
(6) MORE THAN 100,000 FIRST RESPONDERS PERFORM THESE
CRUCIAL SERVICES IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.
(7) APPROXIMATELY 30,000 SWORN POLICE OFFICERS FROM
STATE, CITY AND COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES PROTECT LIVES
AND PROPERTY, DETECT AND PREVENT CRIMES, UPHOLD THE LAW AND
ENSURE JUSTICE.
(8) TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FIREFIGHTERS, INCLUDING
APPROXIMATELY 50,000 VOLUNTEERS AND 10,000 CAREER
FIREFIGHTERS, PROVIDE FIRE SUPPRESSION, EMS, SEARCH AND
RESCUE, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE, TERRORISM RESPONSE AND
CRITICAL FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY EDUCATION.
(9) APPROXIMATELY 60,000 EMERGENCY SERVICES
PROFESSIONALS IN THIS COMMONWEALTH RESPOND TO AND TREAT A
VARIETY OF LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCIES, FROM CARDIAC AND
RESPIRATORY ARREST TO TRAUMATIC INJURIES.
(10) FIRST RESPONDERS MAKE PERSONAL SACRIFICES TO
PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES, AS WITNESSED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE
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TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, AND OF THE NATURAL
DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY HURRICANES KATRINA, IRENE AND SANDY.
THEY ARE CALLED EVERY DAY TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS AND PROPERTY
IN CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THIS COMMONWEALTH.
(11) MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DIE IN THE LINE OF
DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR, INCLUDING NINE KILLED IN
2020 IN PENNSYLVANIA ALONE.
(12) MORE THAN 100 FIREFIGHTERS ARE KILLED IN THE LINE
OF DUTY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR AND THOUSANDS MORE
ARE INJURED.
(13) EMS ANSWERS MORE THAN 20 MILLION PATIENT CALLS
EVERY YEAR, AND MANY MEDICS ARE INJURED ON THE JOB, HAVE BEEN
ASSAULTED BY PATIENTS OR HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO INFECTIOUS
DISEASES.
(14) EMS PERSONNEL IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE A FATALITY
RATE OF MORE THAN TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR ALL OTHER
WORKERS.
(15) THOUSANDS OF FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE MADE THE
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.
(16) THESE MEN AND WOMEN, BY THEIR DEDICATED
PROFESSIONALISM, HAVE EARNED OUR GRATITUDE AND RESPECT.
(B) FIRST RESPONDERS DAY.--THE FOLLOWING APPLY:
(1) SEPTEMBER 27 OF EACH YEAR IS DESIGNATED AS "FIRST
RESPONDERS DAY."
(2) THE GOVERNOR SHALL ISSUE ANNUALLY A PROCLAMATION
CALLING UPON ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
TO OBSERVE "FIRST RESPONDERS DAY" AND TO CONDUCT EXERCISES
RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND REMEMBERING THE SACRIFICES
THAT FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE MADE.
(3) "FIRST RESPONDERS DAY" MAY NOT BE A PAID HOLIDAY OR
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A DAY THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS CLOSE.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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