HARRISBURG, PA — Those seeking to lead the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) will be subject to the Senate confirmation process if a bill sponsored by Sen. Lisa Baker is signed into law.

Baker, who sits on the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, said the responsibilities and profile of the PEMA Director have increased in recent years, making the role even more critical to state security and public safety.

“The frequency of natural disasters like Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and Super Storm Sandy, and the realities of a post-9/11 world, require well-coordinated planning and response,” she said. “Implementing emergency operations, ensuring protection of critical infrastructure and maintaining our emergency alert system are important duties. It only makes sense that the individual responsible would undergo a thorough legislative vetting process.”

Baker noted that hundreds of nominees for various cabinet posts and state boards require Senate confirmation. Senate Bill 490 passed the Senate in June with a bipartisan vote and was sent to the House, which adopted it recently. The bill now heads to the governor for his signature.