HB 2209 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in miscellaneous provisions relating to institutions of higher education, providing for communism and socialism education.

PRINTER'S NO.   2903

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2209
                                                Session of
                                                  2026

     INTRODUCED BY RASEL, REICHARD, HAMM, KUZMA, HEFFLEY, WATRO,
        JAMES AND ROWE, FEBRUARY 9, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 11, 2026


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in miscellaneous provisions relating
 6      to institutions of higher education, providing for communism
 7      and socialism education.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.     The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
11   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
12   section to read:
13   Section 2007-I.    Communism and socialism education.
14      (a)   One credit education program required.--Beginning in the
15   2027-2028 school year and in each school year thereafter, an
16   institution of higher education shall establish and implement a
17   one credit education program on the dangers and realities of
18   communism and socialism in a free society. The course shall be
19   required for all students attending an institution of higher
20   education that receives State funding.
 1      (b)   Curriculum.--An institution of higher education that
 2   receives State funding may develop a curriculum or use, in part
 3   or in whole, an already established curriculum for the education
 4   program required under subsection (a). The education program
 5   shall include, but not be limited to, instruction in the
 6   following subjects:
 7            (1)   The definition of capitalism, communism and
 8      socialism. The instruction shall include that:
 9                  (i)    capitalism is not a totalizing ideology, but
10            rather works across historical periods and in diverse
11            contexts on the idea that individuals can and should be
12            able to choose how to use resources, such as amassing
13            wealth, investing in innovation or giving to charities;
14                  (ii)    under the pretense of a classless, egalitarian
15            society, communist regimes in practice rely on force, use
16            brutality and repress speech, religion, assembly and all
17            other rights and freedoms; and
18                  (iii)    Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels argued that
19            socialism was an intermediate step between free market
20            capitalism and the ultimate goal of communism. Lenin
21            concurred that socialism was the first, or lower, phase
22            of communist society.
23                  (iv)    The ideological father of fascism and
24            intellectual author of the "doctrine of fascism,"
25            Giovanni Gentile was inspired by thinkers such as Karl
26            Marx and viewed fascism as a form of socialism. By
27            ideological bases, fascism is a national collective while
28            socialism is an international collective.
29            (2)   An overview of the real-world application of
30      communism and socialism in:

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 1                  (i)    China.
 2                  (ii)    Cuba.
 3                  (iii)    Laos.
 4                  (iv)    North Korea.
 5                  (v)    The former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
 6                  (vi)    Vietnam.
 7                  (vii)    Venezuela.
 8                  (viii)    Any other past or present communist or
 9            socialist government.
10            (3)   The systematic destruction of civil liberties,
11      personal freedoms and freedom of the press in communist and
12      socialist societies.
13            (4)   A free market and capitalist society in comparison
14      to a communist society.
15            (5)   The role of government in communist societies.
16            (6)   Marxism, the Communist Manifesto, written by Karl
17      Marx and Friedrich Engels, and other significant communist
18      ideologies.
19            (7)   An overview of the history of communism in the
20      modern world, including:
21                  (i)    World War II;
22                  (ii)    the Korean War;
23                  (iii)    the Vietnam War;
24                  (iv)    the Cold War; and
25                  (v)    any other significant world event relating to
26            communism and socialism.
27            (8)   Current communist regimes and nations at risk of
28      instituting a communist government.
29      (c)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
30   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this

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 1   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
 2      "Capitalism."    An economic system characterized by:
 3            (1)   private or corporate ownership of capital goods;
 4            (2)   investments that are determined by private
 5      decisions; and
 6            (3)   prices, production and the distribution of goods and
 7      property that are determined mainly by competition in a free
 8      market.
 9      "Communism."    An ideology and system of centralized political
10   power in which a single-party dictatorship abolishes private
11   property and controls the means of production and the
12   distribution of goods and services.
13      "Fascism."    An ideology and system that:
14            (1)   puts nation and, often, race above the individual;
15            (2)   is characterized by severe economic and social
16      regimentation and by forcible suppression of the opposition;
17      and
18            (3)   promotes planned economies in which it is the
19      government that determines what, how much and how to produce.
20      "Institution of higher education."    Any of the following:
21            (1)   A community college operating under Article XIX-A.
22            (2)   A rural regional college established under Article
23      XIX-G.
24            (3)   A university within the State System of Higher
25      Education under Article XX-A.
26            (4)   A State-related institution as defined in section
27      2001-C.
28            (5)   The Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
29            (6)   Any accredited private or independent college or
30      university.

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 1          (7)   Any private licensed school as defined in section 2
 2      of the act of December 15, 1986 (P.L.1585, No.174), known as
 3      the Private Licensed Schools Act.
 4      "Socialism."   An ideology and system of political and
 5   economic organization in which major industries and other
 6   sectors, such as health care and education, are owned or
 7   controlled by the government rather than by individuals and
 8   private companies.
 9      "State funding."   Any State grant or loan authorized by a law
10   of this Commonwealth that an institution of higher education
11   receives either directly or indirectly, including any State
12   funding through the act of August 7, 1963 (P.L.549, No.290),
13   referred to as the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
14   Agency Act, or the act of July 18, 1974 (P.L.483, No.174), known
15   as The Institutional Assistance Grants Act.
16      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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