Jun. 06, 2018
HARRISBURG – The Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness (VAEP) Committee and its chairman, Rep. Steve Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware), voted in favor of legislation that would protect members of the National Guard and Reserve from employment discrimination.
Currently, if someone works and lives in the Commonwealth but serves as a Delaware National Guard member, he or she could be negatively impacted for missing work due to a call to state active duty.
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House Bill 1878 would extend current protections for guardsman and reservists by also including those who reside or work in Pennsylvania and are members of a national guard or military unit in another state. A clear example of the need for the modernization of this act would be the situation where a Pennsylvania resident and employee is a member of the Delaware State National Guard, and is placed on state active duty for emergency orders. Pennsylvania law currently does not recognize this state active duty status from another state,” Barrar said.
Also during the meeting, the committee voted to amend the Military Community Enhancement Commission Act by providing that active duty retired military officers who were one- or two-star military officers may be appointed to the commission.
The final bill that was reviewed would give urban firefighters more of an opportunity to voice their concerns via the Fire Safety Advisory Committee by amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) to increase the membership of paid/career firefighters by two: one from a city of the first class and one from a city of the second class. It would also increase volunteer firefighters from four to six.
As all bills received support in committee, they will now face a vote in the House.
To view footage of the House Veterans’ Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee’s meeting, click here.
Representative Stephen E. Barrar
160th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Alison Evans
717.260.6206
aevans@pahousegop.com
SteveBarrar.com /
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