SB 59 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in community colleges, further providing for definitions, for powers and duties of State Board of Education and for degrees.

PRINTER'S NO.   22

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 59
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY FARRY, PENNYCUICK, ROTHMAN, BROWN, MASTRIANO,
        FONTANA, LANGERHOLC, COSTA, HAYWOOD AND BAKER,
        JANUARY 22, 2025

     REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 22, 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 community colleges, further
 6      providing for definitions, for powers and duties of State
 7      Board of Education and for degrees.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.     Sections 1901-A(4), 1902-A(a)(1) and 1912-A of
11   the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public
12   School Code of 1949, are amended to read:
13      Section 1901-A.     Definitions.--The following words and
14   phrases, as used in this article, shall, unless a different
15   meaning is plainly required by the context, have the following
16   meaning:
17      * * *
18      (4)     "Community college" shall mean a public college or
19   technical institute which is established and operated in
20   accordance with the provisions of this act by a local sponsor
 1   which provides a two-year, four-year, postsecondary, college-
 2   parallel, terminal-general, terminal-technical, out-of-school
 3   youth or adult education program or any combination of these.
 4   The community college may also provide area career and technical
 5   education services and credit, nonremedial college courses to
 6   secondary senior high school students.
 7      * * *
 8      Section 1902-A.   Powers and Duties of State Board of
 9   Education.--(a)   The State Board of Education shall have the
10   power, and its duty shall be:
11      (1)   To adopt such policies, standards, rules and regulations
12   formulated by the Council of Higher Education, as may be
13   necessary to provide for the establishment, operation and
14   maintenance of community colleges, including minimum
15   requirements for physical facilities and equipment, curriculum,
16   faculty, standards and professional requirements, qualifications
17   for admission and advancement of students, student enrollment,
18   student population of the area to be served by the community
19   college, requirements for satisfactory completion of a two-year
20   or four-year program and the degrees or diplomas or certificates
21   to be awarded therefor, means of financing and financial
22   resources for the establishment and support of the community
23   college, and all matters necessary to effectuate the purposes of
24   this act.
25      * * *
26      Section 1912-A.   Degrees.--(a)      The State Board of Education
27   shall prescribe the types of diplomas, certificates or degrees
28   that may be granted students who complete post-secondary
29   education courses in community colleges.
30      (b)   The board of trustees of a community college may offer a

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1   baccalaureate of science degree in nursing to students who have
2   or are pursuing an associate's degree in nursing.
3      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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