Sep. 16, 2016
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Washington/Allegheny) has introduced legislation to help ease the growing financial burden on Pennsylvania’s volunteer fire companies, which are facing rapidly climbing costs and a declining number of volunteers.
Under current Pennsylvania law, vehicle accident reports conducted by local and state police are available to a limited list of entities for a fee of $15 and $22, respectively.
House Bill 2344 would add volunteer fire companies to this list and exempt them from the payment of this fee.
“Volunteer fire companies, who wish to bill for services provided, can use these reports to bill insurance companies as a means of recouping some of the costs associated with responding to traffic incidents in our local communities,” Ortitay said. “This small change in the law would provide a significant method to obtain much needed financial relief for our volunteer fire companies, who do so much to serve and protect our friends, families and neighbors.”
The following entities are statutorily authorized to receive these required accident reports: a person involved in the accident and the person’s attorney or insurer; the federal government; branches of the military; Commonwealth agencies; officials of political subdivisions; and agencies of other states and nations and the political subdivisions of other states and nations. Ortitay’s legislation would add volunteer fire companies to this list.
Ortitay’s bill is the direct result of a recommendation made at the representative’s recent fire and emergency medical services seminar. The legislative request was made by William Cass of Lawrence Volunteer Fire Department. At the time of its introduction, House Bill 2344 had 14 co-sponsors.
Representative Jason Ortitay
46th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Morgan Wagner
717.260.6281
mwagner@pahousegop.com
RepOrtitay.com /
Facebook.com/RepOrtitay