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SB 1261

An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Commonwealth services, further providing for assistance to fire companies and EMS companies; and, in grants to fire companies and emergency medical services companies, further providing for definitions, for publication and notice, for award of grants, for consolidation incentive, for publication and notice and for award of grants, repealing provisions relating to COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program, to Emergency Medical Services COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program, to expiration of authority relating to COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program and to expiration of authority relating to Emergency Medical Services COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program and further providing for annual reports.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Camera Bartolotta and 5 co-sponsors

PA SB 1261 expands and inflation-adjusts fire/EMS loan caps, broadens eligible expenditures, and streamlines grant processes to modernize funding for fire/rescue services.

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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 1261

Summary of SB 1261 (2025-2026) – Pennsylvania

Note: This summary covers the bill as introduced and amended through April 21, 2026. It focuses on purpose, key provisions, affected parties, and procedural/timeline aspects.

Purpose and overall intent

  • Reforms the Commonwealth’s fire company and emergency medical services (EMS) grant and loan programs housed in Title 35 (Health and Safety).
  • Expands loan limits and options for fire companies and EMS, updates definitions, and streamlines grant publication, award, and reporting.
  • Repeals COVID-19–related grant programs and related expiration provisions, while codifying a separate Emergency Medical Services COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program with a defined funding framework and reporting.
  • Introduces inflation-adjusted loan limits and adds new governance around consolidation incentives and award processes.
  • Updates annual reporting requirements to improve transparency and oversight.

Key provisions and changes

Section 7364 – Assistance to Fire Companies and EMS Companies (Loans)

  • General rule: The Office may make loans to fire and EMS companies for:

    • Establishing or modernizing facilities (structures/land). Maximum loan: 50% of total cost or $750,000 (whichever is less); must show 20% of total cost available in unobligated funds. Funds used only for eligible construction-related purposes.
    • Purchasing fighting apparatus, ambulances, or rescue vehicles.
    • Fire apparatus loan limits (per single equipment/vehicle): up to $375,000 or 50% of cost, whichever is less; aerial apparatus cap: up to $750,000 (previously $350,000).
    • Ambulance/light rescue vehicle: up to $200,000 (previously $125,000) and 50% of cost, whichever is less.
    • Watercraft rescue vehicle: up to $75,000 or 50% of cost, whichever is less.
    • Purchasing protective, accessory, or communication equipment: cap increased to $100,000 (previously $25,000); equipment cannot be funded more than once in five years; PFAS-free protective equipment; requires notarized financial statement.
    • Refinancing debt incurred after 1975 for equipment/facilities modernization.
    • Repair/rehabilitation of apparatus to meet NFPA standards: minimum $3,000; cap up to lesser of $150,000 or 80% of total repair cost.
    • Purchasing used apparatus/equipment (meeting NFPA standards): cap up to $300,000 or 80% of cost, whichever is less.

  • Loan terms:

    • Loans $50,000 or less: up to 10 years.
    • $50,000–$300,000: up to 20 years.
    • Over $300,000: up to 30 years.
    • Interest: 2% per year; security as determined by the Commissioner.
    • Interest earnings from investments: returned to the Fire and EMS Loan Fund (not creditable as principal/interest on the loan).
    • Minimum loan amount: $25,000 (with exceptions noted in certain subsections).

  • Inflation adjustment (new subsection B.1):

    • Starting Jan 1, 2028, loan limits increase annually with inflation (as per Philadelphia-Cinn/Labor Bureau CPI data). If no inflation increase, limits remain the same.
    • Office must publish increases in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Section 7802 – Definitions (updated)

  • Redefines “Career Emergency Medical Services” to include for-profit chartered EMS organizations licensed in PA, located in PA, not hospital-affiliated (unless recognized for grant awards), providing BLS/ALS services, and excluding those primarily operating “invalid coaches” for nonemergency transport.
  • Redefines “Volunteer EMS Company” as a nonprofit EMS provider licensed in PA, not hospital-affiliated (unless recognized for grants), providing BLS/ALS services, excluding those primarily operating invalid coaches.

Section 7812 – Publication and notice

  • Commissioner must publish grant program notice via the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the PA Bulletin by August 8 for each fiscal year.
  • Notice and application posting on the State Fire Commissioner’s website.
  • Use of the Electronic Single Application for Assistance where feasible.

Section 7813 – Award of grants (fire companies)

  • Commissioner may award grants to eligible fire companies, with potential for certification bonus points and/or other merit-based adjustments.
  • Eligibility criteria (summary):
    • Actively responded to at least 15 fire/rescue emergencies in the prior year.
    • Active participation in the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting System (guidelines to be published).
    • Up-to-date contact information on file (due by July 31 of grant year).
    • Registered with the appropriate public safety answering point as an active response agency.
    • Designated by a municipality as a provider of fire/rescue services.
  • Construction Savings Account option: Grants for building/renovating facilities can be deposited into a Construction Savings Account within the State Treasury, with signatures required from two elected officers to withdraw.
  • Repeats/clarifies publication and notice requirements (similar to other sections).

Section 7813 – EMS grants (7823) and related mechanics

  • EMS grant authority and potential for a certification bonus system, in consultation with the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, with publication in the PA Bulletin.

Consolidation incentive (Section 7814)

  • If two or more volunteer fire companies consolidate their facilities/equipment/services, they may receive a reduction in interest rate on outstanding loans from 2% to 1%, contingent on commissioner verification of bona fide consolidation.
  • Rules and regulations to implement.

Repeal of COVID-era programs (Subchapter C.1 and related items)

  • Repeals the COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and EMS Grant Program (and related publication/award sections) to sunset its authority.
  • Repeals Emergency Medical Services COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program authority (and expiration provisions).

Emergency Medical Services COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program (Subchapter E)

  • Establishes a new Recovery Grant Program using Federal COVID funds for EMS services responding to the pandemic.
  • Administration by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner in consultation with the Department of Health.
  • Grants tied to total appropriated funds, distributed among EMS companies that certify usage purposes.
  • Funding and costs: $25,000,000 of Federal funds from the COVID-19 Response Restricted Account is appropriated; up to $200,000 may be used for admin costs.
  • Reporting: Requires a post-grant usage report by September 1, 2022, and ongoing program details (notably, timing appears to reflect a historical/post-Pandemic framework; see expiration provisions below).

Reporting and expiration

  • Annual reporting (Section 7895) to include lists of grant awards and related data (with adjustments removing certain prior line items about certification bonuses or county listings, per the amendment).
  • Expiration provisions:
    • COVID-19 Crisis Grant Program authority expires six months after the act’s effective date.
    • EMS COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program authority expires June 30, 2022.

Affected entities and stakeholders

  • Fire companies and EMS companies (both career and volunteer types) in Pennsylvania.
  • Municipalities hosting or supporting fire/rescue services.
  • The Office of the State Fire Commissioner, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and related Fire Information Reporting System administrators.
  • Legislative Reference Bureau and the Pennsylvania Bulletin for publication/notice.
  • Funding recipients may include facilities, apparatus, vehicles, protective equipment, and related infrastructure upgrades.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Effective date: 30 days after enactment.
  • Publication deadlines: August 8 annually for grant program notices; notices posted online.
  • Inflation adjustment: Changes begin January 1, 2028, with biannual/annual adjustments per CPI; requires Legislative Reference Bureau publication of limits.
  • Consolidation incentive implementation requires rules/regulations from the Commissioner.
  • Repeal of COVID-era programs aligns with sunset of those authorities; the new Emergency Medical Services COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program operates under a separate framework with its own funding and reporting timeline (noting that some dates in the text reference past years, reflecting transitional provisions).

Bottom line

SB 1261 modernizes Pennsylvania’s fire/EMS funding landscape by raising loan caps, expanding eligible expenditures, adding inflation-adjusted limits, clarifying definitions (career vs. volunteer EMS), and creating structured grant processes with publication/notice requirements. It also shifts away from COVID-era emergency grants to a dedicated Recovery Grant Program for EMS, while adding consolidation incentives and enhanced annual reporting.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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