PRINTER'S NO. 1847
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1571
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY SCOTT, SANCHEZ, MADDEN, McNEILL, HILL-EVANS,
PIELLI, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HARKINS, FLEMING, MAYES, CURRY,
O'MARA, CONKLIN AND GREEN, JULY 18, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JULY 18, 2023
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in Commonwealth services, providing
for firefighting protective equipment.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 7390. Firefighting protective equipment.
(a) Warning labels.--
(1) A manufacturer that produces or sells personal
protective equipment for firefighting entities in this
Commonwealth containing PFAS chemicals shall affix a warning
label to the product that indicates that the product contains
perfluorooctane (PFOS) or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and
provide a written notice to the purchaser at the time of the
sale that includes:
(i) A statement that the personal protective
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equipment contains PFAS chemicals.
(ii) The reason that the personal protective
equipment contains PFAS chemicals.
(2) The manufacturer and purchaser of the personal
protective equipment containing perfluorooctane (PFOS) or
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) shall retain the written notice
under this section on file for at least three years from the
date of purchase.
(b) Enforcement.--The Office of the State Fire Commissioner
shall enforce the provisions of this section.
(c) Violations.--
(1) A manufacturer or person shall be subject to a civil
penalty not to exceed $5,000 for a first violation and
$10,000 for each subsequent violation.
(2) Money collected under paragraph (1) shall be
transferred to the department for the Fire Company Grant
Program and the Emergency Medical Services Grant Program.
(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Firefighting entity." An entity that engages in fire
prevention, firefighting or fire control activities in this
Commonwealth. The term shall include municipal fire departments
and volunteer fire companies.
"Manufacturer." A person that manufactures, imports or
distributes domestically personal protective equipment for a
firefighting entity.
"Personal protective equipment." Items designed, intended or
marketed to be worn by firefighting entity personnel in the
performance of fire and rescue activities, including jackets,
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pants, shoes, gloves, helmets and respiratory equipment.
"PFAS chemical." A fluorinated organic chemical that
contains at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom and is
designed to be fully functional in formulations of class B
firefighting foam.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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