HB 840 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for Targeted Industry Cluster Certificate Scholarship Program.

PRINTER'S NO.   870

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 840
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, VENKAT, HILL-EVANS,
        MADDEN, BOROWSKI, PIELLI, FREEMAN, MAYES, HOHENSTEIN, CERRATO
        AND KHAN, MARCH 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 10, 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 reimbursements by Commonwealth and
 6      between school districts, further providing for Targeted
 7      Industry Cluster Certificate Scholarship Program.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    Section 2599.4 of the act of March 10, 1949
11   (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
12   amended to read:
13      Section 2599.4.    Targeted Industry Cluster Certificate
14   Scholarship Program.--(a)    The Targeted Industry Cluster
15   Certificate Scholarship Program is established within the
16   [Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency] agency.
17      (b)   The agency may use funds appropriated to provide grants
18   for defraying the necessary expense of residents of this
19   Commonwealth who are eligible students pursuing an eligible
20   [course] program of study at an eligible educational provider.
 1      (c)    The agency shall determine and approve student
 2   eligibility and educational provider eligibility requirements
 3   for the program.
 4      (d)    The Department of Education shall consult with the
 5   Department of Labor and Industry to identify programs of study
 6   that train individuals for areas of immediate workforce need and
 7   provide the agency with a list of eligible programs of study.
 8      (e)    Grant awards shall be established by the agency based
 9   upon available resources.
10      (f)    As used in this section, the following words and phrases
11   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
12      "Agency."    The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
13   Agency.
14      "Eligible program of study."      An education program that:
15      (1)    takes two or fewer years to complete;
16      (2)    takes four or fewer years to complete as determined by
17   the agency under subsection (c); or
18      (3)    is one of the following:
19      (i)    A bachelor of science program in nursing.
20      (ii)    A bachelor of arts program or bachelor of science
21   program in public health.
22      (iii)    A bachelor of arts program or bachelor of science
23   program in community health.
24      (iv)    A pre-physician-assistant education program.
25      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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