House passes bill to extend line-of-duty death benefits to coroners and medical examiners

The Pennsylvania House voted to pass HB1485 on final passage, extending line-of-duty death benefits to county coroners, deputy coroners and medical examiners. The clerk recorded the final vote as 196 ayes and 5 nays; the clerk will return the bill to the Senate for concurrence.

Sponsor remarks and supporters emphasized that municipal workers who respond to accidents and disasters routinely face hazardous conditions. Representative Sarisi, the bill sponsor, told colleagues that "I'm asking today that we amend the emergency law enforcement personal death benefit acts to give their families the same benefits that our police officers, our rescuers, our EMS workers would have" if a worker is killed in the line of duty.

Supporters said the change would help families left with little or no financial protection after a sudden death on the job. Representative Benninghoff described the small number of such incidents but the outsized hardship when they occur, and urged members to consider the consequences for affected families. Representative Ham, during final-passage debate, told the chamber the measure would correct a disparity so that county coroners and medical examiners receive the same line-of-duty support as other public safety workers.

The bill’s supporters pointed to examples of public works and emergency personnel routinely exposed to danger and argued the benefit would provide a financial bridge for survivors. After the roll call the chair announced the majority required by the Constitution had voted in the affirmative and the bill passed the House finally; the clerk will transmit it to the Senate for concurrence.

The House took no further floor amendments to HB1485 after the recorded final vote. The next procedural step is Senate concurrence before the bill could be enrolled for the governor’s signature.