House Bill 453 has passed both chambers of Pennsylvania's General Assembly unanimously and was sent to Governor Josh Shapiro, the bill's prime sponsor Rep. Jessica Benham announced on October 21. A published signing list later reported HB 453 among 58 bills the governor signed into law.

Source: PA House / Rep. Jessica Benham

For families of fallen officers, language authored by Rep. Tom Mehaffie, a Dauphin County Republican, provides health insurance coverage for a fallen municipal officer's spouse for their lifetime and extends coverage for children until age 26, Mehaffie announced on October 22. The measure also categorises 911 dispatchers as first responders.

Source: Dauphin News

What HB 453 does

Continues health cover for surviving families of fallen municipal police officers — spouse for life, children to age 26 — and adds 911 call-takers and dispatchers to Pennsylvania's legal definition of emergency responders, with access to the state's Emergency Responder Mental Wellness and Stress Management program.

Mehaffie said he began working on the proposal in 2020 after Jackie Henry, widow of Derry Township Officer Michael L. Henry Jr., received notice that her insurance would be discontinued following her husband's death. The proposal mirrors benefits already available to Pennsylvania State Police families after a line-of-duty death and extends similar protection to municipal officers' families, he said.

“When someone calls 9-1-1, a telecommunicator is literally the first person to respond,” Benham said in the House release. AFSCME Council 13 administrator Jim Howell said the bill also means surviving family members of fallen municipal police officers, including sheriffs in second-class counties, will continue to receive critical health care benefits.

Source: PA House / Rep. Jessica Benham

What is solid

  • HB 453 passed both chambers unanimously and was sent to the governor, according to prime sponsor Rep. Jessica Benham's October 21 announcement.
  • Rep. Mehaffie's October 22 announcement describes lifetime cover for a fallen officer's spouse and cover for children until age 26.
  • A published signing list reported HB 453 among 58 bills signed by Governor Shapiro.

What is only claimed

  • The reports reviewed did not give a specific effective date or implementation timetable for the new benefits.