Source: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2017&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=0183&pn=0153
Timestamp: 2017-06-24 20:48:12
Document Index: 724600728

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 79', '§ 79', '§ 79', '§ 79', '§ 79', '§ 79', '§ 79']

Regular Session 2017-2018 House Bill 0183 P.N. 0153
PRINTER'S NO. 153 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIAHOUSE BILL No.183 Session of 2017 INTRODUCED BY DUSH, BAKER, CAUSER, D. COSTA, FEE, PHILLIPS-HILL, KAUFFMAN, KNOWLES, MENTZER, SAINATO, WHEELAND AND KORTZ, JANUARY 24, 2017 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 24, 2017 AN ACTAmending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in emergency management services, providing for emergency response payment.The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:CHAPTER 79BEMERGENCY RESPONSE PAYMENTSec.79B01. Definitions.79B02. Reimbursement.79B03. Procedure.79B04. Penalty.79B05. Cost of appeal.79B06. Reports.79B07. Guidelines.1234567891011121314151617
§ 79B01. Definitions.The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:"Actual and reasonable response costs." An amount that is consistent with what a reasonable person would pay in the same or similar circumstances for the same business or for the same or similar item. This term shall not include any costs for labor."Emergency." An incident that requires responsive, coordinated action to protect an individual, the environment, critical infrastructure or property, and the responsive, coordinated action is the result of an official dispatch."Fire company." A volunteer fire company located in this Commonwealth."Incident commander." An individual responsible for all incident-related activities as described in the National Incident Management System."Official dispatch." The dispatch of a fire company to an emergency by a public safety answering point or a response to a special call or request from an incident commander for assistance with an emergency.§ 79B02. Reimbursement.A person involved in an emergency that necessitates an official dispatch of a fire company shall be liable for the actual and reasonable response costs incurred by the fire company for services rendered unless the person has:(1) paid a tax which funds at least part of the fire company's services to the municipality in which the fire company is located; or20170HB0183PN0153 - 2 - 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
(2) paid a subscription to the fire company. The fire company shall identify the rate at which a person may be exempt from being billed.§ 79B03. Procedure.(a) Billing.--A fire company may seek reimbursement from an insurer for actual and reasonable response costs related to an emergency as provided for under this section. A bill for reimbursement must clearly itemize the costs that have been incurred as provided for under section 79B07 (relating to guidelines).(b) Reimbursement.--A bill for actual and reasonable response costs shall be submitted for payment by a fire company to an insurer. Notwithstanding section 79B07, submission of a bill to an insurer shall not relieve a person under section 79B02 (relating to reimbursement) from financial responsibility if an insurer denies payment of the bill.(c) Failure to pay.--A fire company that submits to an insurer a bill for actual and reasonable response costs as provided for under this section may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the amount of the actual and reasonable response costs from a person under section 79B02 if the insurer fails to pay the amount of the bill.(d) Bills from multiple fire companies.--If more than one fire company incurs actual and reasonable response costs in a response to an emergency, separate bills may be submitted by the fire companies, unless the fire companies were requested by an incident commander or through a public safety answering point. If the fire companies were requested by an incident commander or through a public safety answering point, only a single bill may be submitted on behalf of the fire companies.20170HB0183PN0153 - 3 - 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
(e) Insurance.--An insurer may not require a fire company to contract with the insurer to receive payment under this chapter.§ 79B04. Penalty.A fire company filing a false request for reimbursement commits a summary offense and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $100. A fire company shall pay a fine of $1,000 for each subsequent offense.§ 79B05. Cost of appeal.Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person who loses an appeal relating to reimbursement of actual and reasonable response costs shall pay all costs of the appeal.§ 79B06. Reports.A police report created as a result of an emergency response under this chapter shall be released to a requesting party within 30 days of the report's creation.§ 79B07. Guidelines.The Office of the State Fire Commissioner shall establish fee guidelines in accordance with The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288, 88 Stat. 143). The guidelines shall be published by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.Section 2. This act shall take effect in 180 days.20170HB0183PN0153 - 4 - 12345678910111213141516171819202122