Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness 2021-2022
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness met on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 and reported out the following:
HB1178 (Knowles) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety) to make several changes related to grant programs for fire and emergency medical service (EMS) companies and provides enabling provisions for new and existing programs to allocate funding transferred from the Consumer Fireworks Tax as outlined under Act 74 of 2022.
- Senator Stefano offered amendment A05733 which makes a number of changes to the bill including providing for administrative funding for the Office of State Fire Commissioner for costs associated with the programming changes in the language; requiring annual reports from the State Fire Commissioner on the Capital Grant Program, the Curriculum, Training, and Education Certification Management System; establishing a publicly accessible Fire Course Registry; distributes funding for the reimbursement to Pennsylvania Bomb Squads; delays the submission date for the State Fire Advisory Board Fire Relief Funding Formula Study to no later than December 31, 2023; permits merged fire departments to receive grants totaling the amount that each individual company would have been eligible for if they had not consolidated for a period of 20 years; expands the process for a municipality to reject or appeal a tax credit by adding “resolution” as an acceptable process in addition to ordinance; establishes the Secondary Education Fire Training Pilot Program to provide high school students with firefighter training through partnerships between institutions of higher education and school districts or career and technical schools; and requires an annual report from the Bureau of EMS on the Scholarship Program created by HB1178
- Amendment A05733 was unanimously adopted.
- House Bill 1178 was unanimously reported as amended
HB2373 (Diamond) Amends the Administrative Code authorizing the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to determine the use of the former Lieutenant Governor’s mansion
- House Bill 2373 was unanimously reported as committed.
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness and Urban Affairs and Housing Committees held a joint Public Hearing on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 on efforts to address veterans homelessness.
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness met on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 and reported out the following:
SB 1152 (Mastriano) Establishes the Overdose Mapping System under the direction of the Pennsylvania State Police
Senator Stefano offered Amendment A04962 (Stefano) which changes the reporting requirement from 24 hours to 72 hours and removes OD Map as an option for entering overdoses. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Senate Bill 1152 was unanimously reported as amended
SB 1286 (Muth/Stefano) Increases the minimum daily special state duty and state active duty pay rate for members of the Pennsylvania National Guard from the current $100 per day rate to $180 per day
Senate Bill 1286 was unanimously reported as committed.
HB 397 (Owlett) expands the process for a municipality for rejecting a tax credit, specifically by adding the term “resolution”
House Bill 397 was unanimously reported as committed
HB 1867 (Boback) Establishes the Purple Star Schools program in PA
Senator Stefano offered Amendment 03953 which includes private schools in the Purple Star Schools program and makes the bill mirror the language of SB1028. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
House Bill 1867 was unanimously reported as amended.
HB 2412 (C. Williams) Permits PA National Guard to assist state agencies with Cyber Security
House Bill 2412 was unanimously reported as committed.
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness met on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 and reported out the following:
SB 1194 (Mensch) Establishes the Military College of Pennsylvania Educational Assistance Program
Senator Stefano offered Amendment 04169 which made two minor edits to eligibility. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Senate Bill 1194 was unanimously reported as amended.
HB 803 (O’Neill) Establishes a Special Fund for the Keystone Youth Challenge Program
Senator Stefano offered Amendment 02118 which permits DMVA to adopt Rules and Regulations. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
House Bill 803 was unanimously reported as amended.
The Senate and House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committees held Joint Hearing on Monday, June 13, 2022:
The Senate and House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committees held a joint informational meeting with the Pennsylvania National Guard Associations (PNGAS), who will cover their Legislative Agenda, PNGAS Job Board, Employers hiring Veterans and Guard members, and introduction of the PNGAS leadership team.
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness met on Monday, June 6, 2022 to consider General Officer promotions and the following bills:
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee unanimously reported the following seven promotions:
Colonel to Brigadier General
Col Leland Blanchard (PA Army National Guard)
Col Raymond Hyland (PA Air National Guard)
Col Richard McMullen (PA Air National Guard)
Brigadier General to Major General
BG Terrence Koudelka (PA Air National Guard)
BG James McCormack (PA Army National Guard)
BG Carl Reese (PA Army National Guard)
BG Michael Wegscheider (PA Army National Guard)
The following legislation was also considered:
SB 1141 (Gebhard): Amends Act 118 of 2019 regarding the Lieutenant Governor’s Mansion at Fort Indiantown Gap to give the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) the authority to incorporate the former Lt. Governor’s Mansion and property into FITG’s facilities master plan.
The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
HB 2097 (Hamm) would extend a COVID waiver regarding the staffing of emergency personnel on a basic life support ambulance.
Senator Stefano offered Amendment A04407 which would extend the waiver for five years, until April 29, 2027. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
The bill was unanimously reported as amended.
SB 1265 (Stefano): Creates an online registry of all courses successfully completed by a firefighter within the Office of the State Fire Commissioner to allow fire companies and individuals to access, track and maintain their records.
The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness met on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 and reported out the following:
HR188 (Hennessey): The resolution extends the Governor’s Emergency Declaration related to the Forbes Avenue/Fern Hollow Bridge Collapse until September 30, 2022.
The resolution was unanimously reported as committed.
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness met off the floor on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 to consider the following concurrent resolution:
HR173 (Boback): extends the Governor’s Emergency Declaration related to the Forbes Avenue/Fern Hollow Bridge Collapse until March 31, 2022
Unanimously reported as committed
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness met on Monday, February 7 to consider the following bills:
SB 1016 (Sen. Mastriano) would amend Title 51 (Military Affairs) to provide the ability to recognize civilians and members of the military of a friendly foreign nation with awarding of the Pennsylvania Distinguished Service Medal and the Pennsylvania Meritorious Service Medal.
Unanimously reported as committed
SB 1027 (Sen. Stefano) — Would amend the Child Labor Act to allow a an individual 17 years of age or older to engage in training for an interior firefighting module with live burns if they have permission to engage in training from a fire chief and a parent/guardian – and are under supervision of a credentialed PA State Fire Academy instructor.
Unanimously reported as committed
SB 1028 (Sen. Stefano) — would make PA the 27th state to establish the Purple Star School Program which is a state-sponsored recognition designed to acknowledge a public or charter school that has committed to supporting the unique social-emotional needs of a student who is a dependent of an active or former member of the US Armed Forces on active duty; the Pennsylvania National Guard; or a reserve force of the US Armed Forces.
Amendment A03586 (Stefano): Permits nonpublic schools to participate in Purple Star School Program (Adopted unanimously)
Unanimously reported as amended.
SB 1047 (Sen. Gebhard) – would remove The Adjunct General (TAG) as a voting member from the State Armory Board and transition the board into an advisory body for the TAG. The bill also provides for the rental and lease of state armories and Fort Indiantown Gap properties to government and nonprofit agencies.
Amendment A03617 (Stefano): Technical (Adopted unanimously)
Unanimously reported as amended
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee held a public hearing on Monday, October 25, 2021 to explore legal parameters for redistricting nationally and in Pennsylvania:
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee met on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 to consider the following bills:
HB 1598 (Boback) – PEMA Flood plain management administration — amended to delete duplicative language that was inserted into the Administrative Code (Act 70 of 2021).
HB 941 (Burns) – Guaranteed in-state tuition for reassigned military families
SB 849 (Stefano) – Vet Preference clarification
SR 164 (Robinson) – concurrent resolution re 250th anniversary of Navy and USCM in Philadelphia in 2025
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee held a public hearing on Monday, September 13, 2021 on the “Next Generation of Firefighters”
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee met on Monday, June 21, 2021, and took action as follows:
Approved the nominations of Major General Mark Schindler for Adjutant General and the promotion of Brigadier General Benjamin Cason (PA Air National Guard) for Major General.
Unanimous.
HB 196 (Day) – Approved HB 196 (Day) providing for employment protections to Pennsylvania residents who are members of a National Guard or Reserve unit while deployed in another state.
Unanimous.
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee met on Monday, June 14, 2021, and took action as follows:
Confirmations unanimously reported from Committee, namely promotions of the following PA National Guard Officers:
- Colonel Scott Coradi, PA Air National Guard (being promoted to Brigadier General)
- Colonel Patrick Monahan, PA Army National Guard (being promoted to Brigadier General)
- Colonel John Pippy, PA Army National Guard (being promoted to Brigadier General)
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee met Off the Floor on Wednesday, June 10, 2021 to consider H.R. 106 which was amended and reported out along party lines.
HR 106 – (Benninghoff) – ends the Governor’s Emergency Declaration immediately – all Democrats voted in the negative on Amendment A01563 and on HR 106 as amended
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee met Tuesday, June 8, 2021 and reported the following bills from committee.
All bills were reported favorably by unanimous vote.
SB 578 (Bartolotta) Constitutional Amendment re Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption – Unanimous
SB 739 (Stefano) Career Fire Companies added to Fire & EMS loans – Adopted unanimously as amended
With Amendment A01515
SB 740 (Stefano) EMSOF Formula Delay – Unanimous
The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee met on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 to consider the following bills:
SB 433 (Stefano & Collett) which establishes the Keystone Youth Challenge Fund
A00483 was a technical amendment to adjust incorrect dates in the bill
SB 248 (Phillips Hill) which establishes two Veteran Recognition Days: March 6th as Persian Gulf War Veterans Day and October 7th as Global War on Terrorism Veterans Day
SB 455 (Bartolotta) which creates a Veteran-Owned Business Logo
SB433 was reported out of Committee unanimously as amended. The remaining bills were reported out of Committee unanimously.
The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee met on Monday, February 22, 2021 and unanimously reported out the following bills as amended:
The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee met Wednesday, February 3, 2021:
Senator Katie Muth
Committee Chair