PRINTER'S NO. 138
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
160
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY REGAN, VOGEL, ARGALL, AUMENT, BAKER, BARTOLOTTA,
BROOKS, BROWNE, DiSANTO, DUSH, GORDNER, HUTCHINSON,
LANGERHOLC, LAUGHLIN, MARTIN, MASTRIANO, MENSCH, PHILLIPS-
HILL, PITTMAN, ROBINSON, SANTARSIERO, SCAVELLO, SCHWANK,
STEFANO, TOMLINSON, J. WARD, K. WARD, YUDICHAK, YAW AND
CORMAN, FEBRUARY 2, 2021
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
FEBRUARY 2, 2021
AN ACT
Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in employees, providing for medals
honoring emergency medical services personnel.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 21 of Title 53 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subchapter to read:
SUBCHAPTER F
MEDALS HONORING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL
Sec.
2191. Establishment of program.
2192. Medal procedure.
2193. Form of medals.
§ 2191. Establishment of program.
A program is established for the Governor to recognize and
decorate emergency medical services personnel in this
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Commonwealth who have demonstrated bravery, sacrifice or other
exceptionally meritorious conduct in the line of duty. The
director shall assist the Governor in the administration of the
program by establishing the qualifications, protocol and other
rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
The director may consult with the Emergency Health Services
Council to aid in carrying out the purposes of this subchapter.
§ 2192. Medal procedure.
(a) Nominees.--A member of an emergency medical services
agency may be nominated for a medal under this subchapter.
(b) Application.--An application that nominates a member of
an emergency medical services agency for a medal may be
submitted to the director by the Governor, a member of the
General Assembly or the chief executive of a municipality or
emergency medical services agency.
(c) Review and issuance of medals.--The director shall
review an application's veracity and conformance to the criteria
of the program and notify the Governor of the applications that
are in compliance. The final decision to issue a medal under
this subchapter shall rest with the Governor. The Governor may
delegate to the Lieutenant Governor or a member of the General
Assembly the act of presenting a medal.
§ 2193. Form of medals.
(a) General rule.--The medals authorized under the program
shall be in the following forms:
(1) Star of Life, which may be awarded to members of an
emergency medical services agency who have shown exceptional
gallantry, heroism and bravery in the face of life-
threatening circumstances above and beyond the call of duty.
(2) White Heart, which may be issued to members of an
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emergency medical services agency injured in the line of
duty.
(3) Medal of Ultimate Sacrifice, which shall be issued
posthumously to members of an emergency medical services
agency who have fallen in the line of duty.
(b) Design.--The design of each medal shall be approved by
the director. Each medal shall be cast in bronze or other metal,
and the design shall incorporate the seal of the Commonwealth.
(c) Cost.--The cost of a medal shall be paid by the
emergency medical services agency by which the member of the
emergency medical services agency is or was employed or
volunteered. The family of a medal recipient may request a
second medal and may receive the medal upon payment to the
Bureau of Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health
of the cost of the medal.
(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:
"Director." The Director of the Bureau of Emergency Medical
Services of the Department of Health.
"Emergency medical services agency." As defined in 35
Pa.C.S. § 8103 (relating to definitions).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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