SB 246 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in student supports, providing for parental and employee notification of weapon incidents.

PRINTER'S NO.   199

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         SENATE BILL
                         No. 246
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY COLEMAN, TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, COSTA, STEFANO,
        DUSH AND ARGALL, FEBRUARY 13, 2025

     REFERRED TO EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 13, 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 student supports, providing for
 6      parental and employee notification of weapon incidents.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1303.2-A.     Parental and Employe Notification of
13   Weapon Incidents.--(a)     A school entity shall notify parents and
14   guardians and school employes of an incident involving the
15   possession of a weapon on any school property that constitutes a
16   violation of one of the following:
17      (1)   Section 1317.2.
18      (2)   18 Pa.C.S. § 912 (relating to possession of weapon on
19   school property).
20      (3)   Locally established policies of a school entity's
 1   governing body relating to weapons.
 2      (b)    The following shall apply:
 3      (1)    Unless the circumstances of the incident necessitate
 4   otherwise, the notification shall be made in accordance with the
 5   following:
 6      (i)    The notification required under subsection (a) shall be
 7   made within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.
 8      (ii)     The notification shall be made using a method of
 9   communication likely to reach parents and guardians and school
10   employes.
11      (2)    Except as provided in paragraph (3), if an incident
12   involving the possession of a weapon occurs at a school
13   building, the school entity may limit notification to parents
14   and guardians of students enrolled in or attending, or school
15   employes assigned to, the school building where the incident
16   occurred.
17      (3)    If the school building at which the incident occurs
18   shares a campus with other school buildings, the school entity
19   shall make notification to parents and guardians of students
20   enrolled in or attending, or school employes assigned to, any
21   building situated on the shared campus.
22      (4)    If an incident involving the possession of a weapon
23   occurs at a school-sponsored activity or on a public conveyance
24   providing transportation to or from a school or school-sponsored
25   activity, the following shall apply:
26      (i)    The school entity shall ensure that the notification
27   required under this section reaches the appropriate population
28   of parents and guardians and school employes.
29      (ii)     A notification is not required if the incident is not
30   directly related to the school-sponsored activity or the

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 1   students or staff involved in the activity.
 2      (5)   Subject to 20 U.S.C. § 1232g (relating to family
 3   educational and privacy rights), a school employe to whom a
 4   student in possession of a weapon under subsection (a) is
 5   assigned shall be deemed to be a school official with legitimate
 6   educational interest in the student, and the school entity shall
 7   notify the school employe of the student's identity and portion
 8   of the student's records relating to the incident.
 9      (c)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to:
10      (1)   Limit a school entity's responsibility to report
11   incidents to local law enforcement prior to providing parents
12   and guardians and school employes with the notification required
13   under subsection (a).
14      (2)   In an emergency, supersede or limit a school entity's
15   responsibility to follow the procedure in its disaster response
16   and emergency preparedness plan developed under 35 Pa.C.S. §
17   7701(g) (relating to duties concerning disaster prevention).
18      (3)   Supersede or preempt any provision of a collective
19   bargaining agreement between a school entity and an employe
20   organization.
21      (d)   Except as required to notify the parent or guardian of a
22   student found in possession of a weapon, to provide notice to
23   school employes under subsection (b)(5) or as otherwise
24   permitted, the school entity's notification to parents or
25   guardians or school employes under this section shall not
26   contain personally identifiable information about a student in
27   compliance with 20 U.S.C. § 1232g.
28      (e)   For the purposes of this section, the following words
29   and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
30   subsection:

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 1      "School entity."   An area career and technical school,
 2   charter school, cyber charter school, nonpublic school, private
 3   school, regional charter school or school district.
 4      "School property."   Any of the following:
 5      (1)   Public school grounds.
 6      (2)   A location where a school-sponsored activity is
 7   conducted.
 8      (3)   A conveyance providing transportation to a school entity
 9   or school-sponsored activity.
10      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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