Pennsylvania 2023-2024 Regular Session

Pennsylvania Senate Bill SB429

Introduced
3/1/23  
Refer
3/1/23  
Refer
5/1/23  
Report Pass
6/5/23  
Engrossed
6/7/23  
Refer
6/7/23  
Refer
12/11/23  
Report Pass
12/12/23  
Enrolled
12/14/23  
Chaptered
12/14/23  

Caption

Further providing for disability benefits and for definitions.

Impact

If enacted, SB 429 is expected to enhance the protections and benefits available to law enforcement officers and other designated personnel, reinforcing the commitment of the state towards supporting its public safety employees. The bill proposes that temporary incapacity resulting from job-related injuries would necessitate full salary compensation, alongside coverage for medical expenses. It aims to ensure that statutory limitations on receiving benefits do not hinder the timely support required for injured employees, thereby improving the overall welfare of those who serve in potentially hazardous conditions.

Summary

Senate Bill 429 aims to amend the Enforcement Officer Disability Benefits Law by providing expanded definitions and provisions for disability benefits to law enforcement personnel in Pennsylvania. The bill specifically covers members of the State Police, correctional officers, parole agents, and various other law enforcement and emergency response personnel. Through this legislation, the lawmakers intend to ensure that officers injured in the line of duty receive adequate compensation and medical care, particularly for certain diseases presumed to be contracted as a direct result of their employment, such as tuberculosis and heart disease.

Sentiment

Discussion surrounding SB 429 has generally been positive among lawmakers, especially those representing law enforcement interests. Supporters argue that this amendment is a critical step in acknowledging and compensating the risks faced by officers in their line of duty. However, there is also concern regarding the funding implications for the state budget and whether the resources allocated will be sufficient to cover the expanded benefits without burdening taxpayers.

Contention

Notably, there are discussions about the financial ramifications of this bill on the state's budget and whether all law enforcement agencies will adequately participate in these benefits. Some legislators have expressed concern about the long-term costs and the potential for abuse of these benefits. Furthermore, the definition of terms and eligibility criteria for the benefits are crucial points of contention that could influence future interpretations of the law.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

PA HB1521

Further providing for disability benefits and for definitions.

PA HB23

Further providing for disability benefits for campus police officers and for definitions.

PA HB1723

Further providing for the payment of the salary and medical and hospital expenses of certain employees of State and local government who are injured or contract certain diseases in the performance of their duty; repealing provisions relating to the term "fireman"; and providing for affirmation and for definitions.

PA HB2617

Further providing for definitions; and providing for benefits.

PA SB509

In general provisions, further providing for definitions; in rules of the road in general, further providing for maximum speed limits, providing for maximum speed limits enforced by local law enforcement officers with RADAR and further providing for speed timing devices; and imposing penalties.

PA HB1485

Further providing for death benefits and for definitions; and making an editorial change.

PA SB459

In rules of the road in general, further providing for speed timing devices.

PA HB265

In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in licenses and regulations and liquor, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages, further providing for public venue license.

PA HB1368

In rules of the road in general, further providing for speed timing devices.

PA HB1394

Further providing for definitions.

Similar Bills

PA HB1521

Further providing for disability benefits and for definitions.

PA SB1020

Designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 5796, carrying State Route 4001 over U.S. Route 22 in Allegheny Township, Blair County, as the LCPL Ralph J. Fabbri USMC Memorial Bridge.

PA SB1223

Authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Human Services and the Governor, to grant and convey to the University of Pittsburgh a certain permanent easement through and across lands of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and to accept from the University of Pittsburgh a certain permanent easement through and across lands of the University of Pittsburgh in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County.

PA HB2216

Authorizing the Department of General Services, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and with the approval of the Governor, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, to quitclaim and release to the United States of America any right, title or interest it may have with respect to a certain use restriction and a related reversionary interest related to certain portions of Valley Forge National Historical Park situate in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; authorizing the release of Project 70 restrictions on certain land owned by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in Overfield Township, Wyoming County; authorizing the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to the City of Philadelphia a right-of-way easement situate in the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, in exchange for improvements to Benjamin Rush State Park and monetary consideration to the Commonwealth to be used toward the acquisition and conveyance of a tract of land to be added to French Creek State Park; authorizing the transfer of administrative jurisdiction of portions of State park lands in exchange for certain lands situate in New Vernon Township, Mercer County, from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to the Department of Transportation for anticipated highway improvement projects; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Agriculture and the Governor, to grant and convey to Joshua R. Snyder a certain tract of land located in Windsor Township, Berks County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey certain lands and improvements situate in Haverford Township, Delaware County, to Carelink Community Support Services of PA, Inc.; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Governor, to grant and convey to The Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace, certain lands, buildings and improvements, situate in Boggs Township, Centre County, and further authorizing the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to transfer to The Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace its buildings located on adjacent property leased from the United States Department of the Army; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to Franklin Township, Greene County, certain lands situate in Franklin Township, Greene County; authorizing the Department of General Services to convey to the Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, certain lands and improvements thereon, situate in Oil City, Venango County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, to convey to the Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, certain lands and improvements thereon, situate in Oil City, Venango County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Transportation and the Governor, to grant and convey to the Bear Creek Township Volunteer Hose Company an access easement and two storm water easements from certain lands situate in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to release a portion of a use restriction affecting certain real property situate in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, which the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania previously conveyed to the School District of the City of Harrisburg; authorizing the sale and transfer of title for a 0.232 acre of

PA HR529

Encouraging all municipalities in this Commonwealth to prohibit and reject the adoption of any local ordinance that seeks to boycott, divest from or enforce prejudices against the allies of the United States and condemning the anti-Israel petition containing a proposal for a referendum that was filed with the Allegheny County Division of Elections by the No War Crimes on Our Dime organizing group.

PA SB596

In theft and related offenses, further providing for the offense of organized retail theft; and establishing the Office of Deputy Attorney General for Organized Retail Crime Theft.

PA SB1036

Providing for Office of Child Advocate, the Coalition of Trauma Prevention and Intervention and the Statewide Children's Mental Health Ombudsman; and imposing duties on the Department of Human Services.

PA SB78

Designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 67586, located over the South Branch of Bear Run on State Route 1053 in Banks Township, Indiana County, as the PFC John Tabacsko Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8377, carrying Pennsylvania Route 53 over Bear Rock Run in Lilly Borough, Cambria County, as the Corporal James D. Sloan Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8387, carrying Pennsylvania Route 53 over Patty's Run in Gallitzin Township, Cambria County, as the USMCR Mary A. Lidwell Memorial Bridge; designating a portion of State Route 3037 from the intersection with Waltz Mill Flats Road to Segment 0170/Offset 0950 in Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County, as the PFC Earl "Butch" Long Memorial Highway; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 25406, carrying Pennsylvania Route 346 over Willow Creek in Corydon Township, McKean County, as the Private First Class Bruce A. Cobb Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 22726, carrying Pennsylvania Route 934 over Swatara Creek in East Hanover Township, Lebanon County, as the WO1 John Stephen Chrin Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 44210, carrying State Route 2001 over Kreutz Creek in Windsor Township, York County, as the Private Myles Ness Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 56130, carrying Pennsylvania Route 562 over Manatawny Creek in Amity Township, Berks County, as the PFC Travis C. Zimmerman Memorial Bridge; designating a portion of State Route 2051 from the intersection with Elizabeth Street (segment 0020/offset 1600) to the Decatur Township Line (segment 0030/offset 0000) in Osceola Mills Borough, Clearfield County, as the IC3 James S. Dunlap Memorial Highway; designating the bridge identified as Bridge Key 48006, carrying State Route 3007 over Carson Run in Knox Township, Clearfield County, as the Sgt. Ronald Bloom Memorial Bridge; designating a portion of Pennsylvania Route 164, Cove Mountain Road, from the intersection with Frederick Road in Taylor Township to the intersection with Agway Road in North Woodbury Township, Blair County, as the Representative Jerry A. Stern Memorial Highway; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Keys 5599/5600, carrying Interstate 99 over PA Route 36 in Logan Township, Blair County, as the Jack E. and Sheldon L. Chambers Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 31496, carrying Pennsylvania Route 985 over North Branch Quemahoning Creek in Jenner Township, Somerset County, as the PFC Paul A. Gilbert Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 4262, carrying State Route 2016 over Shaffer Creek in East Providence Township, Bedford County, as the PFC Charles O. Snyder Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 1723, carrying State Route 3017 over Peters Creek in the Borough of Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County, as the Janice Butko Cmar Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 37601, carrying Pennsylvania Route 462 over a tributary of Kreutz Creek in Hellam Township, York County, as the Roger Lee Fraker Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 18630, carrying Pennsylvania Route 305 over the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River in Alexandria Borough, Huntingdon County, as the Craig Walker Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 12334, carrying State Route 2012 over McElhattan Creek in Wayne Township, Clinton County, as the Master Sergeant Robert F. Johnson Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 33747, carrying US Route 322 over Sugar Creek in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County, as the Earle Chandler Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 69027, carrying Worthington Mill Road over Neshaminy Creek in Wrightstown Township, Bucks County, as the Colonel Daniel L. Rubini Memorial Bridge; designating the portion of U.S. Route 15 in Monroe Township and Shamokin Dam Borough, Snyder County, from its interchange with existing U.S. Routes 11/15 and U.S. Route 522 north of Selinsgrove to its interchange with existing U.S. Route 15 and Pennsylvania Route 147 south of Winfield as the Joseph McGranaghan Memorial Highway; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8430, carrying Pennsylvania Route 160 over the North Branch Little Conemaugh River in the borough of Wilmore, Cambria County, as the Potchak Brothers Memorial Bridge; designating the portion of Interstate 180 from the Lycoming-Northumberland County line to the interchange with existing U.S. Route 15 and U.S. Route 220 in Lycoming County as the Kenneth C. Larson, Jr., Memorial Highway; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 5664, on that portion of Old Pennsylvania Route 220 North over the Beaverdam Branch of the Juniata River in Allegheny Township, Blair County, as the Baker Brothers Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 44229, on that portion of Pennsylvania Route 22, 3rd Avenue, over Blair Gap Run in Duncansville Borough, Blair County, as the Sergeant Robert E. Davis Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 5784, on that portion of State Route 3013, Dunnings Highway, over Beaverdam Creek in Greenfield Township, Blair County, as the Arthur R. Walter, Jr., Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 47600, on that portion of Pennsylvania Route 220, East Pleasant Valley Boulevard, over Little Juniata River in Antis Township, Blair County, as the Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Lee Swayne Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 68408, on that portion of Wopsononock Avenue over Spring Run in the City of Altoona, Blair County, as the Private First Class James A. Behe Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 45589, located on that portion of Spring Road over the Conodoguinet Creek in North Middleton Township, Cumberland County, the Sergeant Patrick C. Hawkins Memorial Bridge; designating a portion of Pennsylvania Route 183, also known as Bernville Road, from the intersection with Mt. Pleasant Road in Penn Township, Berks County, southbound to the bridge over Licking Creek in Penn Township with identification number 0601830180000 as the Staff Sergeant Norman W. Reifsnyder Memorial Highway; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 7027, carrying Pennsylvania Route 413 over U.S. Route 1 in Middletown Township, Bucks County, as the Corporal John F. Muffler Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8510, carrying PA Route 271 over Pergrin Run in the borough of Nanty Glo, Cambria County, as the PFC William P. O'Farrell Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8457, carrying U.S. Route 219 over PA Route 869 in Adams Township, Cambria County, as the Seaman First Class John M. McGinty Memorial Bridge; designating a portion of Pennsylvania Route 352 also known as Middletown Road, from the intersection with State Route 4008, also known as Gradyville Road, in Edgmont Township, Delaware County, to the intersection with Pennsylvania Route 452, also known as North Pennell Road, in Middletown Township, Delaware County, as the Chief Joseph J. Montgomery, Jr. Memorial Highway; designating a portion of State Route 1006, also known as Ferry Road, from the intersection with Limekiln Road to the intersection with Pennsylvania Route 313, also known as Swamp Road, in Doylestown Township, Bucks County, as the Judge R. Barry McAndrews Memorial Highway; designating the entire portion of Pennsylvania Route 232 within the Borough of Rockledge, Montgomery County, as the PFC Helmut Boehm Memorial Highway; designating the portion of Pennsylvania Route 51 from Segment 0280/Offset 0000 to Segment 0300/Offset 0570 in Whitehall Borough, Allegheny County, as the Hon. Raymond T. Book Memorial Highway; designating the bridge, identified as Bridge Key 28737, carrying 13th Street over Bushkill Creek in the City of Easton, Northampton County, as the Honorable James F. Prendergast Memorial Bridge; designating the western roundabout on State Route 1001 at the intersection of New Britain Road and South Easton Road in Doylestown Township, Bucks County, as the Blue Star Family Tribute Roundabout; designating the eastern roundabout on State Route 1001 at the intersection of New Britain Road and Sauerman Road in Doylestown Township, Bucks County, as the Gold Star Family Tribute Roundabout; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 56035, carrying U.S. Route 422 over State Route 2005 and Cherry Run in Plumcreek Township, Armstrong County, as the George W. McAuley, Jr. Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 27695, carrying State Route 3006, also known as Whitehall Road, over Kepner Creek in East Norriton Township, Montgomery County, as the E. Pearl Smith Memorial Bridge; and making a repeal.