Senator Devlin Robinson has introduced a legislative proposal aimed at addressing a gap in the pension system for Pittsburgh firefighters’ surviving spouses. The proposed legislation, Senate Bill 577, seeks to amend the current law, allowing these spouses to continue receiving pension payments after remarriage.
Senator Robinson emphasizes the need for change, stating, “The current law does not treat the surviving spouses of firefighters equally to those of other first responders, and it’s time to change that.”
Presently, spouses of firefighters lose their eligibility for pension benefits upon remarriage. This contrasts with the 2006 repeal of a similar provision that affected the surviving spouses of Pittsburgh police officers. Robinson’s bill aims to bring parity between the pension rights of firefighters and police officers, ending what he perceives as unfair treatment of first responder families.
The bill closely aligns with another proposal introduced in the previous legislative session by Representative Jessica Benham.
Senate Bill 577 is now awaiting consideration by the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.
