SB 479 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for moment of silence on January 6 anniversary.

PRINTER'S NO.   464

                        THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                           SENATE BILL
                           No. 479
                                                  Session of
                                                    2025

     INTRODUCED BY HAYWOOD, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA, KANE, SAVAL
        AND SANTARSIERO, MARCH 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 21, 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 terms and courses of study,
 6      providing for moment of silence on January 6 anniversary.
 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 1556.    Moment of Silence on January 6 Anniversary.--
13   (a)    Each school entity shall conduct a moment of silence during
14   instructional hours for students and faculty to observe the
15   anniversary of January 6, 2021, as a remembrance of the
16   individuals who lost their lives or were wounded by
17   insurrectionist attacks on that date.
18         (b)   The Department of Education shall establish a model
19   curriculum for instruction in the events and significance of
20   January 6, 2021, no later than twelve (12) months after the
 1   effective date of this section. The model curriculum shall
 2   include all of the following where appropriate:
 3      (1)     The historical context of the January 6 attacks.
 4      (2)     The insurrectionist attacks on the United States
 5   Capitol.
 6      (3)     United States Government response to the attacks.
 7      (4)     Challenges and consequences in a post-January 6 world.
 8      (c)     The Department of Education shall make available on the
 9   department's publicly accessible Internet website curriculum
10   materials and other available resources regarding the events and
11   significance of January 6, 2021, for voluntary use by school
12   entities.
13      (d)     Nothing in subsections (b) and (c) shall be construed to
14   require a school entity or nonpublic school to implement, adopt
15   or use the curriculum, materials and other resources made
16   available by the Department of Education under this section.
17      (e)     For purposes of this section, the term "school entity"
18   shall mean a school district, charter school, regional charter
19   school, cyber charter school, intermediate unit or area career
20   and technical school.
21      Section 2.     This act shall take effect immediately.




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