PennsylvaniaBill would name emergency call workers in responder definitions
Pennsylvania would define public safety call workers as telecommunicators and list them in emergency responder definitions for mutual aid and mental wellness rules.
What it does
Emergency management rules would define workers who mainly handle public safety calls as telecommunicators. Mutual aid rules would list them as emergency responders when they meet the aid requirements.
Mental wellness and stress management rules would list telecommunicators as emergency responders, using the same term as the emergency management definition.
Argument forUsing a shared term could help call takers, dispatchers, and supervisors understand where they fit within emergency responder rules.
Argument againstThe primary-duty test could leave call center employees with mixed duties unsure whether they count as telecommunicators.
More detail
Emergency management rules would define telecommunicators, and mutual aid rules would list them as emergency responders. Telecommunicators are public safety call center employees whose main job is handling or dispatching emergency and nonemergency calls, including call takers, dispatchers, and supervisors. For mutual aid, workers must have skills or experience useful to a participating local government during an authorized aid request, drill, or exercise. If enacted, these provisions would take effect 60 days after enactment.
Mental wellness and stress management rules would list telecommunicators as emergency responders. The term covers public safety call center workers whose main job is handling or dispatching calls, including call takers, dispatchers, and supervisors. If enacted, this wording would take effect 60 days after enactment.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Oct 22Act No. 66 of 2026Latest
- Oct 22Approved by the Governor Josh ShapiroBecame Law
- Oct 22Presented to the GovernorTo Governor
- Oct 22Signed in Senate
- Oct 21Signed in House
- Vote recorded CONCURRENCE. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Rules): Re-report Bill As Committed. Result: pass.Lower
- Oct 21House concurred in Senate amendments
- Oct 21Re-reported on concurrence, as committedMinor
- Oct 21Referred to RulesMinor
- Oct 20Third consideration and final passagePassed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE. Result: pass.Upper
- Oct 20Amended on third considerationMajor
- Oct 19Second consideration, with amendmentsMinor
- Vote recorded LAUGHLIN AMENDMENT NO. A-4675. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Appropriations): Re-Reported as Committed. Result: pass.Upper
- Oct 19Re-reported as committedMinor
- Oct 19Re-referred to AppropriationsMinor
- Oct 19Removed from table
- Jun 10Laid on the table (Pursuant to Senate Rule 9)
- Apr 21First considerationMinor
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness): Reported as Committed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Reported as committedMinor
- 2025
- Apr 9Referred to Veterans Affairs & Emergency PreparednessMinor
- Apr 8Third consideration and final passagePassed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Appropriations): Re-report Bill As Committed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8Re-reported as committedMinor
- Apr 7Re-committed to AppropriationsMinor
- Apr 7Second considerationMinor
- Mar 26Removed from table
- Mar 17Laid on the table
- Mar 17First considerationMinor
- Mar 17Reported as committedMinor
- Feb 26
- Vote recorded Committee vote (Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness): Report Bill As Committed. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Referred to Veterans Affairs & Emergency PreparednessIntroduced
Emergency ManagementMental Health