PRINTER'S NO. 2446

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

2107

Session of

2021

INTRODUCED BY MATZIE, KINKEAD, ZABEL, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN,

KULIK, MADDEN, SCHLOSSBERG, KINSEY, SANCHEZ, McNEILL,

T. DAVIS, HOHENSTEIN, BURNS, SNYDER, SAINATO, MALAGARI,

Amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), entitled

"An act providing for the payment of death benefits to the

surviving spouse or children or parents of firefighters,

ambulance service or rescue squad members, law enforcement

officers or National Guard members who die as a result of the

performance of their duties," further providing for title of

act; and adding provisions relating to coroners.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The title of the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424,

coroners or National Guard members who die as a result of the

performance of their duties.

Section 2. Section 1(a), (a.1) and (d) of the act are

amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to

read:

Section 1. (a) In the event a law enforcement officer,

coroner, ambulance service or rescue squad member, firefighter,

certified hazardous material response team member, member of the

Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol or National Guard member dies as a

result of the performance of his duties, an application,

General.

(4) In the case of a member of a Commonwealth law

enforcement agency, the agency head.

(5) In the case of a campus police officer, the university

or college president.

(6) Any survivor eligible for payment of benefits under this

act or individual authorized to act on the survivor's behalf.

(7) In the case of the Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol, the

State Commander.

(a.1) A firefighter, ambulance service or rescue squad

performance of his duties for purposes of this act.

* * *

(d) Upon receipt of such certification, the Commonwealth

shall, from moneys payable out of the General Fund, pay to the

surviving spouse or, if there is no surviving spouse, to the

minor children of the paid firefighter, ambulance service or

rescue squad member [or], law enforcement officer or coroner who

died as a result of the performance of his duty the sum of

$100,000, adjusted in accordance with subsection (f) of this

is no eligible beneficiary to receive them. For the purpose of

this subsection, the term "eligible beneficiary" means the

surviving spouse or the child or children under the age of

eighteen years or, if attending college, under the age of

twenty-three years, of the firefighter, ambulance service or

rescue squad member [or], law enforcement officer or coroner who

died as a result of the performance of his duty. When no spouse

or minor children survive, a single sum of $100,000, adjusted in

accordance with subsection (f) of this section, shall be paid to

the parent or parents of such firefighter, ambulance service

acting in accordance with Article XII-B of the act of August 9,

1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code.

Section 3. Sections 2 and 2.1 of the act are amended to

read:

Section 2. The following words and phrases when used in this

act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless

the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Certified hazardous material response team member" means a

person who is part of a group of individuals who are certified

material, which is certified, trained and equipped in accordance

with the act of December 7, 1990 (P.L.639, No.165), known as the

Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response Act.

Hazardous material response team members who are dispatched by a

public safety answering point may also be certified to perform

stabilization actions needed to remove threats to public health

and the environment from hazardous material releases. A member

of a for-profit hazardous material response team that was not

dispatched by a public safety answering point, is acting as an

agent on behalf of the spiller or responsible party or is

"Department" means the Department of General Services of the

Commonwealth.

"Firefighter, ambulance service or rescue squad member or law

enforcement officer" means a firefighter; a member of a

volunteer fire company; a member of an ambulance service or

rescue squad; a peace officer as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 501

(relating to definitions); a public servant concerned in

official detention as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 5121 (relating to

escape); an officer or employee of a State correctional

24 hours a day.

benefits to firefighters, ambulance service or rescue squad

members, law enforcement officers, coroners or National Guard

personnel for deaths related to the performance of their duties.

Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.