An Act amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, further providing for death benefit eligibility.

PRINTER'S NO. 3254
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2444
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY INGLIS, GOUGHNOUR, PIELLI, McNEILL, BRENNAN,
FRANKEL, STEELE, MERSKI, RIVERA, MALAGARI, BURGOS, FLEMING,
HILL-EVANS, NEILSON, SANCHEZ, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, GALLAGHER,
DONAHUE, HADDOCK, DELLOSO AND PASHINSKI, APRIL 21, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 22, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), entitled
"An act providing for the payment of death benefits to the
surviving spouse or children or parents of firefighters,
ambulance service or rescue squad members, law enforcement
officers or National Guard members who die as a result of the
performance of their duties," further providing for death
benefit eligibility.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424,
No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law Enforcement
Personnel Death Benefits Act, is amended by adding a subsection
to read:
Section 1. * * *
(a.2) A firefighter who has served four or more years in
continuous firefighting, who had direct exposure to a carcinogen
and who, prior to engaging in firefighting duties, passed a
physical examination that failed to reveal any evidence of
cancer is presumed to have died as a result of the performance
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of the firefighter's duties for purposes of this act.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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