HB 453 — An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, further providing for definitions; in Commonwealth services, further providing for definitions relating to intrastate mutual aid; and, in emergency responder mental wellness and stress management, further providing for definitions.

PRINTER'S NO.   435

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 453
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY BENHAM, D. MILLER, HILL-EVANS, HARKINS, HANBIDGE,
        KENYATTA, KHAN, VENKAT, DEASY, SCHLOSSBERG, GIRAL, PROBST,
        BOROWSKI, OTTEN, MAYES, CERRATO, SANCHEZ, DONAHUE AND
        HOHENSTEIN, FEBRUARY 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 3, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, further
 3      providing for definitions; in Commonwealth services, further
 4      providing for definitions relating to intrastate mutual aid;
 5      and, in emergency responder mental wellness and stress
 6      management, further providing for definitions.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.     Section 7102 of Title 35 of the Pennsylvania
10   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
11   § 7102.    Definitions.
12      The following words and phrases when used in this part shall
13   have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the
14   meanings given to them in this section:
15      * * *
16      "Telecommunicator."     As follows:
17             (1)   An individual employed by a public safety answering
18      point or PSAP, as defined in section 5302 (relating to
 1      definitions), whose primary responsibility is to receive,
 2      process, transmit or dispatch emergency and nonemergency
 3      calls for emergency medical, fire and rescue, law enforcement
 4      or other public safety services via telephone, radio or other
 5      communication device.
 6             (2)   The term includes a call taker, emergency dispatcher
 7      and supervisor.
 8      * * *
 9      Section 2.     The definition of "emergency responder" in
10   section 7332 of Title 35 is amended to read:
11   § 7332.    Definitions.
12      The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
13   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
14   context clearly indicates otherwise:
15      * * *
16      "Emergency responder."     An individual in the public or
17   private sector who has special skills, qualifications, training,
18   knowledge or experience, whether or not the person possesses a
19   license, certificate, permit or other official recognition for
20   the skills, qualifications, training, knowledge or experience,
21   that would benefit a participating political subdivision in
22   responding to an authorized mutual aid request or participating
23   in an authorized drill or exercise. The term shall include a law
24   enforcement officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical
25   services worker, a telecommunicator, a physician, nurse or other
26   public health worker, an emergency management official, a
27   coroner or medical examiner, a State-certified hazardous
28   materials team member, a public works worker, a building
29   inspector, an architect, an engineer or other design
30   professional or a person with specialized equipment operations

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 1   skills or training or with any other skills needed to provide
 2   aid in a declared emergency.
 3      * * *
 4      Section 3.   The definition of "emergency responder" in
 5   section 75A01 of Title 35 is amended to read:
 6   § 75A01.   Definitions.
 7      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
 8   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
 9   context clearly indicates otherwise:
10      * * *
11      "Emergency responder."   Any of the following:
12          (1)   A current or former certified emergency medical
13      services provider, current or former member of an emergency
14      medical services agency, fire company or rescue company.
15          (2)   A peace officer.
16          (3)   A [911 dispatcher] telecommunicator.
17          (4)   A coroner or medical examiner who responds in an
18      official capacity to an emergency.
19          (5)   A corrections officer.
20      * * *
21      Section 4.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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