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SB 1299

An Act providing for a tax credit for retrofitting residential high-rise structures with an automatic fire sprinkler system and associated monitoring or detection devices.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Frank Farry and 3 co-sponsors

Provides ARPA-based grants totaling $50 million to Pennsylvania EMS agencies to compensate pandemic-era revenue losses, for use only in EMS services.

Re-referred to Appropriations
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 1299

Summary: SB 1299 (2025-2026) — Pennsylvania

Title: An Act providing for a tax credit for retrofitting residential high-rise structures with an automatic fire sprinkler system and associated monitoring or detection devices.

Note: The text provided appears to reflect a different bill as introduced in 2021 (SB 994 with the American Rescue Plan EMS Agency Financial Loss Grant Program). The requested summary will be based on the bill details you supplied in the prompt (SB 1299, 2025-2026, Pennsylvania) and the accompanying text, which indicates an EMS/ARPA grant program rather than a residential high-rise sprinkler tax credit. If you intended a different bill, please share the correct text. Below is the analysis of the provided material.

Purpose and overall intent

  • The bill establishes the "American Rescue Plan EMS Agency Financial Loss Grant Program" within the Pennsylvania Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (Bureau of Health) to provide financial assistance to eligible EMS agencies that experienced revenue losses during the COVID-19 pandemic period (comparing March 2020–December 2020 to March 2019–December 2019).
  • The overarching goal is to support ongoing emergency medical services operations by compensating for revenue shortfalls tied to the ARPA funding framework, ensuring EMS agencies can continue delivering emergency medical services.

Key provisions and changes

Definitions (Section 101-I)

  • Defines key terms:
    • American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
    • Bureau (PA Department of Health unit overseeing EMS)
    • Department (PA Department of Health)
    • EMS agency (career or volunteer EMS provider)
    • Program (ARPA EMS Agency Financial Loss Grant Program)

Program establishment and use of funds (Section 102-I)

  • Establishes the Program within the Bureau.
  • Eligible EMS agencies may receive a grant if they sustained a revenue loss in March 2020–December 2020 relative to March 2019–December 2019.
  • Permissible use of grant funds: exclusively for the provision of emergency medical services.
  • Prohibition on use: funds cannot be used as the non-Statematch for other state programs or grants.
  • Distribution methodology: grant amount is based on the dollar amount of revenue loss; if requests exceed appropriated funds, grants are distributed on a pro rata basis.
  • Funds management: money from the ARPA grant must be used only for EMS services and not transferred to other bureau/department programs.

Bureau powers and duties (Section 103-I)

  • Implement and administer the program consistent with Federal law/guidance.
  • Collect and transmit necessary information to comply with ARPA requirements; no added State-imposed stipulations outside ARPA or this article.
  • Monitor compliance with Federal/State requirements; allocate and disburse funds to eligible EMS agencies.
  • Require periodic reports from EMS agencies as required for ARPA compliance.
  • Allow audits/inspections of agencies receiving funds, if necessary.
  • Require a quarterly consolidated report detailing: total funds received by each agency, total expenditures for services, and administrative costs; report to be shared with legislative appropriations chairs and posted publicly.
  • Provide a final post-2025 report (or after the latest ARPA deadline) on fund usage, including:
    • Total money received
    • Total money spent on services
    • Itemized administrative costs
  • The reporting timeline references December 31, 2025, and the later of that date or the updated Federal ARPA deadline.

Appropriation (Section 104-I)

  • From ARPA funds, $50,000,000 is appropriated to the Department for awarding grants under the program.

Effective date

  • The act takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Who would be affected

  • Eligible EMS agencies in Pennsylvania that experienced revenue losses in the March 2020–December 2020 window due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • These grants would support both career and volunteer EMS providers operating in the Commonwealth.
  • The Department of Health and its Bureau of Emergency Medical Services would administer the grants, monitor compliance, produce reports, and disburse funds.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Funding source: ARPA funds allocated by the federal government.
  • Initial appropriation: $50 million allocated to the Department for grant awards.
  • Reporting cadence: quarterly consolidated reporting to legislative appropriations chairs; public posting; final post-2025 ARPA-compliance reporting.
  • Effectiveness: takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Financial relief for EMS agencies: helps offset pandemic-era revenue declines to sustain EMS operations.
  • Transparency and accountability: regular reporting and public posting increase visibility into fund use.
  • Compliance risk: agencies must adhere to ARPA requirements and ensure funds are used for EMS services.
  • Pro rata distribution: if demand exceeds available funds, smaller or more severely affected agencies may face reduced grants.

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

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