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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 29, 2020 06:19 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Pam Iovino and Sen. Lindsey M. Williams |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Clarifying Legislation for the COVID-19 Crisis Fire and EMS Grant Program |
| We will soon be introducing clarifying legislation to ensure PEMA has the authority and adequate time to distribute all the funds in the recently created COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program. This legislation will ensure our first responders receive all of the much-needed financial assistance that has been appropriated to them. Act 26 of 2020 appropriated $50 million to the COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program, however, the legislation also restricts PEMA to distributing funds to fire companies and EMS agencies at the level they received funds through the Fire and EMS Program in 2019-2020. Although additional fire companies and EMS agencies may apply for, and receive funding from the COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program, it is estimated that as much as $19 million may be left in the grant program without clarifying language. PEMA may be prevented from distributing much-needed financial assistance to our first responders. This legislation would provide PEMA with clear authority to distribute all $50 million of the COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program and with a timeframe that ensures compliance with CARES Act spending deadlines. Please join us in sponsoring this legislation to help our first responders. |