Bill Text: PA SB463 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Amending the title of the act; further providing for authority for payment; adding a definition of "natural gas responder"; and further providing for construction of act.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-06 - Referred to VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS [SB463 Detail]
Download: Pennsylvania-2013-SB463-Introduced.html
| PRINTER'S NO. 584 |
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. | 463 | Session of 2013 |
INTRODUCED BY STACK, TARTAGLIONE, WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON, FARNESE, SOLOBAY, YUDICHAK AND RAFFERTY, MARCH 6, 2013
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 6, 2013
AN ACT
1Amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), entitled,
2as amended, "An act providing for the payment of death
3benefits to the surviving spouse or children or parents of
4firefighters, ambulance service or rescue squad members, law
5enforcement officers or National Guard members who die as a
6result of the performance of their duties," amending the
7title of the act; further providing for authority for
8payment; adding a definition of "natural gas responder"; and
9further providing for construction of act.
10The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11hereby enacts as follows:
12Section 1. The title of the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424,
13No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law Enforcement
14Personnel Death Benefits Act, amended October 6, 2005 (P.L.319,
15No.59), is amended to read:
16AN ACT
17Providing for the payment of death benefits to the surviving
18spouse or children or parents of firefighters, ambulance
19service or rescue squad members, law enforcement officers
20[or], National Guard members or natural gas responders who
21die as a result of the performance of their duties.
1Section 2. Section 1(a) and (e) of the act, amended October
29, 2009 (P.L.588, No.51), are amended and the section is amended
3by adding a subsection to read:
4Section 1. (a) In the event a law enforcement officer,
5ambulance service or rescue squad member, firefighter, certified
6hazardous material response team member [or], National Guard
7member or natural gas responder dies as a result of the
8performance of his duties, such political subdivision,
9Commonwealth agency or, in the case of National Guard members,
10the Adjutant General, or, in the case of a member of a
11Commonwealth law enforcement agency, the authorized survivor
12[or], the agency head or, in the case of a natural gas
13responder, the employer or authorized survivor, within 90 days
14from the date of death, shall submit certification of such death
15to the Commonwealth.
16* * *
17(e) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall pay out of the
18General Fund to the surviving spouse or, if there is no
19surviving spouse, the minor children of a National Guard member,
20natural gas responder, certified hazardous material response
21team member, volunteer firefighter, ambulance service or rescue
22squad member who died as a result of the performance of his
23duties the sum of $100,000, adjusted in accordance with
24subsection (f) of this section. When no spouse or minor children
25survive, the benefit shall be paid to the parent or parents of
26such National Guard member, natural gas responder, certified
27hazardous material response team member, volunteer firefighter,
28ambulance service or rescue squad member. The benefit shall be
29payable whether or not the National Guard member, natural gas
30responder or certified hazardous material response team member,
1volunteer firefighter, ambulance service or rescue squad member
2died as a result of the performance of his duty within the
3Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
4* * *
5(h) A natural gas responder shall be deemed to be acting in
6the performance of his duties for the purposes of this act when:
7(1) the natural gas responder was requested by his
8employer to respond to a natural gas release or safety event;
9and
10(2) the natural gas responder dies as a direct result of
11an injury caused by the natural gas release or safety event.
12Section 3. Section 2 of the act is amended by adding a
13definition to read:
14Section 2. The following words and phrases when used in this
15act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless
16the context clearly indicates otherwise:
17* * *
18"Natural gas responder" means an employee of a city natural
19gas distribution operation as defined in 66 Pa.C.S. § 102
20(relating to definitions) who responds to actual or potential
21natural gas releases or safety events that pose threats to lives
22or property.
23* * *
24Section 4. Section 2.1 of the act, amended April 2, 2002
25(P.L.213, No.20), is amended to read:
26Section 2.1. This act shall be broadly construed to grant
27benefits to firefighters, ambulance service or rescue squad
28members, law enforcement officers [or], National Guard personnel
29or natural gas responders for deaths related to the performance
30of their duties.
1Section 5. A death certificate of an eligible natural gas
2responder who died as a result of the performance of his duties
3on or after December 1, 2010, but prior to the effective date of
4this section, shall be deemed timely filed in accordance with
5section 1(a) of the act if it is submitted with 90 days of the
6effective date of this section.
7Section 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
