Pennsylvania Act 1994-116 — ARSON REPORTING IMMUNITY ACT - AMEND DEFINITION OF AUTHORIZED AGENCIES

Act text

ARSON REPORTING IMMUNITY ACT - AMEND DEFINITION OF AUTHORIZED AGENCIES
                  Act of Dec. 7, 1994, P.L. 837, No. 116              Cl. 40
                             Session of 1994
                               No. 1994-116

     HB 1332

                                  AN ACT

     Amending the act of July 2, 1980 (P.L.340, No.85), entitled "An
        act providing for certain authorized agencies to receive from
        insurance companies information relating to fire losses;
        providing for insurance companies to notify authorized
        agencies of suspicious fire losses, providing for immunity
        for insurance companies that provide information under this
        act; providing for the exchange and confidentiality of
        information and providing penalties," further providing for
        the definition of "authorized agencies."

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  The definition of "authorized agencies" in
     section 2 of the act of July 2, 1980 (P.L.340, No.85), known as
     the Arson Reporting Immunity Act, is amended to read:
      Section 2.  Definitions.
        The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
     have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the
     meanings given to them in this section:
        * * *
        "Authorized agencies."
            (1)  For the purposes of this act shall include:
                (i)  the State Police Commissioner and other police
            officers charged with the investigation of fires at the
            place where the fire actually took place;
                (ii)  the fire commissioner or fire chief of all
            first, second, second class A and third class cities;
                (iii)  the Attorney General;
                (iv)  the prosecuting attorney responsible for
            prosecutions in the county where the fire occurred;
                (v)  the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
                (vi)  the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
            Firearms;
                (vii)  the United States Attorney when authorized or
            charged with investigation or prosecution of the fire in
            question;
                (viii)  Department of Environmental Resources Bureau
            of Forestry; or
                (ix)  the fire marshal of a second class county.
            (2)  Solely for the purposes of section 3(b), an
        appropriate authorized agency is:
                (i)  the State Police Commissioner or his authorized
            representative; [or]
                (ii)  the fire commissioner or fire chief of all
            first, second, second class A and third class cities and
            the fire chief of any other municipality with a paid fire
            department when that municipality is not serviced by the
            State Police Commissioner or his authorized
            representative for the purpose of investigating fires[.];
            or
                (iii)  the fire marshal of a second class county.
        * * *
        Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

     APPROVED--The 7th day of December, A. D. 1994.

     ROBERT P. CASEY