Issue Position: Community Safety & Support for Our First Responders
Issue Position
Thank you to each trooper, officer, deputy and firefighter, active and retired, for your dedication to our citizens. May God protect you as you protect and serve the Commonwealth!
While in the General Assembly, I have worked to secure increases in incentive pay and state aid funding for police officers, firefighters and qualified volunteer fire departments. I have many friends and family members that are firefighters and law enforcement officers which gives me a first-hand appreciation of their service and sacrifice.
Helping our first responders has always been a priority for me. I firmly believe we must protect those who protect us.
I am a fiscal conservative but public safety and protecting the most vulnerable in our society are at the top of my list of necessary expenditures.
House Bill 273 (2019) -- primarily sponsored by M. Meredith; this law will create a PEER Support program, The Alan "Chip" Terry Professional Development & Wellness Program, for firefighters.
House Bill 122 (2018) -- primarily sponsored by M. Meredith; this measure exempted volunteer fire departments from having to report annually to the Department for Local Government. It instead requires departments to file annual reports and be subject to audits that would be handled by the Fire Commission, which uses a simpler process and will be free to volunteer fire departments.
House Bill 140 (2018) -- primarily sponsored by M. Meredith; this law increased the annual supplement paid to police officers and firefighters to $4,000 and increased state-aid funding for volunteer fire departments to $11,000.
House Bill 68 (2018) -- cosponsored by M. Meredith; this piece of legislation required the Department of Criminal Justice Training to provide a confidential law enforcement professional development and wellness program.
House Bill 275 (2018) -- primarily sponsored by M. Meredith; relating to special deputies, House Bill 275 permitted sheriffs in all counties to appoint one special deputy for every 1,000 persons living in the county.
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