HB 1421 — An Act providing for funding for certain State-aided universities for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, for costs basis, for frequency of payments and for recordkeeping requirements; imposing a duty on the Auditor General; providing for financial statements, for the Agricultural College Land Scrip Fund and for restrictions; and making appropriations.

PRINTER'S NO.    1645

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1421
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY J.HARRIS, MAY 6, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, MAY 7, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Providing for funding for certain State-related universities for
 2      the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30,
 3      2026, for costs basis, for frequency of payments and for
 4      recordkeeping requirements; imposing a duty on the Auditor
 5      General; providing for financial statements, for the
 6      Agricultural College Land Scrip Fund and for restrictions;
 7      and making appropriations.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10   Section 1.   Short title.
11      This act shall be known and may be cited as the State-related
12   University Nonpreferred Appropriation Act of 2025.
13   Section 2.   Definitions.
14      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
15   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
16   context clearly indicates otherwise:
17      "Auditor General."    The Auditor General of the Commonwealth.
18      "Current fiscal year."    The fiscal year beginning July 1,
19   2025, and ending June 30, 2026.
20      "Department."    The Department of Education of the
21   Commonwealth.
 1      "Prior fiscal year."      The fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024,
 2   and ending June 30, 2025.
 3      "Secretary."     The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.
 4      "State-related university."       The term includes:
 5            (1)   The Pennsylvania State University.
 6            (2)   The University of Pittsburgh.
 7            (3)   Temple University.
 8            (4)   Lincoln University.
 9   Section 3.     Cost basis during current fiscal year.
10      Payments made to a State-related university on account of an
11   appropriation under this act shall be made on the basis of costs
12   during the current fiscal year.
13   Section 4.     Frequency and basis of payments.
14      (a)   Monthly payments.--
15            (1)   Payments made under section 10 to a State-related
16      university from an appropriation provided in this act shall
17      be made monthly during the current fiscal year.
18            (2)   (Reserved).
19      (b)   Estimated costs.--
20            (1)   The monthly payments shall be made to a State-
21      related university under section 3 on the basis of estimated
22      costs. The estimate of costs shall be submitted by the State-
23      related university to the secretary, the General Assembly and
24      the State Treasurer not later than 30 days prior to the date
25      on which the payment is to be made.
26            (2)   (Reserved).
27   Section 5.     Purposes of expenditures and statement of
28                  expenditures and costs.
29      (a)   Duties of State-related universities.--
30            (1)   A State-related university shall apply the money

20250HB1421PN1645                     - 2 -
 1      appropriated by this act only for such purposes as are
 2      permitted in this act and shall at all times maintain proper
 3      records showing the application of the money.
 4            (2)   Not later than 120 days after the close of the
 5      current fiscal year, the State-related university shall file,
 6      with the secretary, the General Assembly and the Auditor
 7      General, a statement that specifies the amounts and purposes
 8      of all expenditures made from money appropriated by this act
 9      and other university accounts during the current fiscal year,
10      as provided in section 3, used as a basis for receipt of an
11      appropriation during the current fiscal year.
12      (b)   Duties of Auditor General.--The statement of
13   expenditures and costs shall be reviewed by the Auditor General.
14   The Auditor General may, with respect to the money appropriated
15   by this act, audit and disallow expenditures made for purposes
16   not permitted by this act, recover the sums from the State-
17   related university and transmit the recovered sums to the State
18   Treasurer. In respect to expenditures made by the State-related
19   university from money other than that appropriated by this act,
20   the Auditor General may review only, and shall file annually
21   with the General Assembly, information concerning those
22   expenditures as the General Assembly or any of its committees
23   may require.
24   Section 6.     Duty to provide information.
25      A State-related university shall provide full, complete and
26   accurate information as may be required by the department or the
27   chairperson or minority chairperson of the Appropriations
28   Committee of the Senate or the chairperson or minority
29   chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the House of
30   Representatives.

20250HB1421PN1645                    - 3 -
 1   Section 7.   Financial statements.
 2      A State-related university shall present and report its
 3   financial statements required under this act in accordance with:
 4          (1)   The generally accepted accounting principles as
 5      prescribed by the National Association of College and
 6      University Business Officers, the American Institute of
 7      Certified Public Accountants, or their successors, or by any
 8      other recognized authoritative body.
 9          (2)   The "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Budget
10      Instructions for the State System of Higher Education, State-
11      Related Universities and Non-State-Related Colleges and
12      Universities."
13          (3)   The financial reporting policies and standards
14      promulgated by the Federal Government and by the Commonwealth
15      that apply to the State-related university.
16   Section 8.   Agricultural College Land Scrip Fund.
17      The money of the restricted account within the Agricultural
18   College Land Scrip Fund is hereby appropriated for the current
19   fiscal year, in accordance with the act of April 9, 1929
20   (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, establishing the
21   restricted account.
22   Section 9.   Restrictions, limitations and conditions on use of
23                appropriations.
24      The following restrictions and limitations apply:
25          (1)   Money appropriated by this act to the University of
26      Pittsburgh may not be used for costs of personnel and
27      operations of an environmental law clinic.
28          (2)   Money appropriated by this act to the University of
29      Pittsburgh shall only be used for costs directly related to
30      the provision of instruction for graduate and undergraduate

20250HB1421PN1645                   - 4 -
 1      students and costs incurred in providing student-related
 2      services and community outreach services consistent with the
 3      existing laws of this Commonwealth.
 4   Section 10.    Appropriations.
 5      (a)   Current fiscal year.--The following sums, or as much
 6   thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated to the
 7   boards of trustees of the respective State-related universities
 8   for the current fiscal year, for the purposes and in the amounts
 9   as follows:
10            (1)   To The Pennsylvania State University, for general
11      support.
12            State appropriation..........................242,096,000
13            (2)   To The Pennsylvania State University, for the
14      Pennsylvania College of Technology.
15            State appropriation...........................35,670,000
16            (3)   To the University of Pittsburgh, for general
17      support.
18            State appropriation..........................151,507,000
19            (4)   To the University of Pittsburgh, for rural education
20      outreach.
21            State appropriation............................3,791,000
22            (5)   To Temple University, for general support.
23            State appropriation..........................158,206,000
24            (6)   To Lincoln University, for general support.
25            State appropriation...........................21,890,000
26      (b)   (Reserved).
27   Section 11.    Effective date.
28      This act shall take effect immediately.




20250HB1421PN1645                     - 5 -