HB 773 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in the State System of Higher Education, providing for free tuition for school board members.

PRINTER'S NO.   795

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 773
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, OTTEN, SANCHEZ, MADDEN AND CERRATO,
        MARCH 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 3, 2025


                                    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 the State System of Higher
 6      Education, providing for free tuition for school board
 7      members.
 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 2023-A.    Free Tuition for School Board Members.--(a)
14   Individuals who serve as school board members shall be eligible
15   to enroll in eligible courses.
16      (b)   The board shall:
17      (1)   Identify and review courses offered within the system
18   that could be deemed eligible courses.
19      (2)   Develop a list of eligible courses.
20      (3)   Update the list of eligible courses every three (3)
 1   years.
 2      (c)    Each institution shall annually report the following to
 3   the board:
 4      (1)    The number of school board members taking eligible
 5   courses at the institution.
 6      (2)    The total number of eligible courses in which each
 7   school board member is enrolled at the institution during each
 8   academic year.
 9      (d)    Beginning June 1, 2026, and each June 1 thereafter, the
10   board shall notify the General Assembly of the total number of
11   eligible courses taken by school board members.
12      (e)    No later than June 30, 2026, and each June 30
13   thereafter, the General Assembly shall appropriate sufficient
14   money to reimburse the system for each eligible course taken by
15   a school board member. The reimbursement money shall be
16   distributed to each institution at which a school board member
17   enrolled in an eligible course to cover the charges for tuition
18   that were waived for the eligible course.
19      (f)    As used in this section, the following words and phrases
20   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
21   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
22      "Eligible course" shall mean a course offered by an
23   institution that is approved by the board to be provided at no
24   charge for tuition for a school board member and that has a
25   connection to the role and responsibilities of a school board
26   member.
27      "School board member" shall mean an individual who serves on
28   a school board of directors for a school entity located in this
29   Commonwealth.
30      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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