HB 995 — An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to emergency management services, providing for emergency preparedness for owned animals.

PRINTER'S NO.    1084

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 995
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, PROBST, SANCHEZ, HANBIDGE, GIRAL,
        HOWARD, HOHENSTEIN, HILL-EVANS, SCHLOSSBERG, STEELE AND
        CERRATO, MARCH 24, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 24, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating
 3      to emergency management services, providing for emergency
 4      preparedness for owned animals.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.     Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 8   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 9   § 7715.    Emergency preparedness for owned animals.
10      (a)    Declaration of purpose.--The purpose of this section is
11   to establish and maintain a Statewide disaster plan and response
12   capability for owned animals affected by disasters.
13      (b)    Authority.--The agency shall:
14             (1)   Administer the provisions of this section.
15             (2)   Allocate money in accordance with this section.
16             (3)   Include in the Commonwealth Emergency Management
17      Plan provisions for the protection of owned animals in this
18      Commonwealth in disasters.
 1      (c)   Eligible disaster funding.--The agency shall provide
 2   funding on an annual basis to an animal response team approved
 3   by the agency for planning, developing and maintaining animal
 4   response and rescue capabilities consistent with standards and
 5   guidelines established by the agency.
 6      (d)   Recordkeeping and audit.--The agency shall require an
 7   animal response team receiving money under this section to
 8   retain and provide, upon request, records that the agency
 9   believes are necessary to ensure that money is spent in
10   accordance with this section.
11      (e)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
12   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
13   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
14      "Agency."    The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
15      "Owned animals."   The term shall include any animal kept as a
16   pet, agricultural commodity or pursuant to a permit issued by
17   the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The term shall not include
18   wildlife.
19      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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