PRINTER'S NO. 4296
No. 661 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY BOYES, SEMMEL, DeLUCA, SAYLOR, CIVERA, ALLEN,
ARGALL, M. BAKER, BARD, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BELARDI, BELFANTI,
BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CLYMER, L. I. COHEN, CORRIGAN,
COY, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, CURRY, DALLY, DERMODY, DeWEESE,
J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FORCIER, GABIG, GANNON, GEIST, GEORGE,
GORDNER, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART, HARPER, HASAY, HENNESSEY,
HERMAN, HERSHEY, HESS, HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KENNEY, LaGROTTA,
LAUGHLIN, LEH, LESCOVITZ, LEVDANSKY, LUCYK, MACKERETH,
MANDERINO, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, MAYERNIK, McGEEHAN, McGILL,
McNAUGHTON, MELIO, METCALFE, S. MILLER, NAILOR, NICKOL,
PERZEL, PHILLIPS, PIPPY, PISTELLA, RAYMOND, READSHAW,
ROBERTS, ROSS, RUBLEY, SANTONI, SATHER, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER,
SCHULER, SCRIMENTI, SHANER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK,
STAIRS, STEELMAN, STERN, T. STEVENSON, SURRA, E. Z. TAYLOR,
TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO, TRELLO, TURZAI, VANCE, WALKO, WANSACZ,
WATERS, WATSON, WILT, WOJNAROSKI, G. WRIGHT, YOUNGBLOOD AND
YUDICHAK, SEPTEMBER 24, 2002
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, SEPTEMBER 24, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Commonwealth's Public Employee Retirement
2 Commission to study the implementation of a Statewide
3 retirement system for volunteer firefighters.
4 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth relies heavily on volunteer
5 firefighter departments to provide the first line of defense in
6 all types of emergencies; and
7 WHEREAS, It is estimated that there are approximately 70,000
8 active volunteer firefighters in this Commonwealth, a 6% decline
9 since 1995; and
10 WHEREAS, In this Commonwealth there are more than 2,000
11 active volunteer fire departments and only 33 paid fire
1 departments; and
2 WHEREAS, Converting 2,000 active volunteer fire departments
3 in this Commonwealth to paid status would cost taxpayers nearly
4 $2.2 billion annually; and
5 WHEREAS, It is the goal of the General Assembly to encourage
6 the retention of existing volunteer firefighters and the
7 recruitment of new volunteers; and
8 WHEREAS, Currently 13 states provide retirement benefit plans
9 to volunteer firefighters who meet certain qualifications;
10 therefore be it
11 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Public
12 Employee Retirement Commission to undertake a study to identify
13 the public pension policy and funding considerations associated
14 with the implementation of a Statewide volunteer firefighter
15 retirement system, to be funded by the Commonwealth and
16 administered by a single agency; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That the Public Employee Retirement Commission
18 review the benefit structures and the funding considerations of
19 the retirement systems in other governmental units that have
20 established such plans for volunteer firefighters; and be it
21 further
22 RESOLVED, That the Public Employee Retirement Commission
23 solicit information from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
24 Agency on possible design considerations, including membership
25 eligibility criteria for a cost-effective Statewide volunteer
26 firefighter retirement system that may aid in the retention of
27 current volunteer firefighters and which provides incentives for
28 the recruitment of new volunteers; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the Public Employee Retirement Commission
30 report its findings and recommendations to the House of
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1 Representatives.
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