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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | July 21, 2015 09:50 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Dominic Pileggi |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Preventing Heatstroke-Related Death or Serious Injury To An Unattended Child By Extending Civil Immunity |
| Please join me in co-sponsoring legislation that would prevent a heatstroke-related death or serious injury to an unattended child, by extending Good Samaritan civil liability to a person who, in an effort to save the child, breaks a window or forcibly enters a parked, locked vehicle. In an effort to save lives, we extend Good Samaritan laws to bystanders in other emergency situations, such as in the case of advanced life support or medical care and assistance. These laws exist to encourage bystanders to help persons in a life-threatening situation. At least 16 states have Good Samaritan laws for preventing the death of a child, due to heatstroke, in locked vehicles. These states include Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. On average nationwide, every 10 days a child dies from heatstroke in a vehicle. Last year, 31 children across the nation died from vehicular heat stroke. Immediate attention can make the difference between life and death for a young child. This important piece of legislation will go a long way to help prevent these senseless tragedies. |
Introduced as SB986