Senate Education Committee
Senator Jeffrey E. Piccola
Chairman

Room 173 Capitol Building, Senate Box 203015, Harrisburg, PA  17120-3015
717-787-6801, 717-783-3722

Meeting to Vote on Mandate Relief Bills

Tuesday, April 5, 2011
8 E-A East Wing
10:30 a.m.

- 1:56

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• Senate Bill 202, Printer's Number 171 | Bill Summary (Dinniman) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to provide for alternative certification pathways for principals and teachers.
   
  • A01170 – Senator Dinniman will offer an amendment developed as a result of input from the Department of Education.
     
• Senate Bill 293, Printer's Number 267 | Bill Summary  (Brubaker) – Amends the State Public School Building Authority Act to raise the threshold cost at which a school construction project is financed through the authority must be competitively bid.
   
  • A00971 – Technical amendment the Chair will offer on behalf of Senator Brubaker.
     
• Senate Bill 296 , Printer's Number 270 | Bill Summary  (Eichelberger) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to raise the threshold cost for bidding.
   
  • A00960 – Technical amendment the Chair will offer on behalf of Senator Eichelberger.
     
• Senate Bill 329, Printer's Number 306 | Bill Summary  (Dinniman) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to suspend non-essential reports from districts to PDE in years in which state education funding declines.
   
  • A01068 – Senator Dinniman will offer an amendment to further define "basic education funding".
     
• Senate Bill 537, Printer's Number 543 | Bill Summary  (Rafferty) – Requires a 2/3 vote by school boards to raise property taxes.
   
• Senate Bill 612, Printer's Number 615 (Folmer) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to permit school entities to furlough professional employees for economic reasons.
   
  • A00969 – The Chair will offer an amendment to provide certain criteria upon which school entities determine furloughs instead of solely based on seniority rights which is current law.
     
  • A00942 – The Chair will offer an amendment to provide that the Secretary may waive the requirement providing for a proportionate reduction in administrators with the approval of the State Board of Education.
     
  • A01138 – Senator Dinniman will offer an amendment prohibiting a school district from using costs as the sole factor in determining which professional employees to suspend.
     
• Senate Bill 801, Printer's Number 830 | Bill Summary (Waugh) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to permit school entities to contract with a single prime contractor for construction projects.
   
• Senate Bill 802, Printer's Number 831 | Bill Summary  (Piccola) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to permit school districts to hire registered nurses who complete a program of in-service training in school nursing approved by PDE. Districts would retain the option of employing a school certificated nurse.
   
  • A01184 – Senator Dinniman will offer an amendment to provide further parameters for training and employment of registered nurses.  PDE would also be required to undertake a study on the effectiveness of utilizing registered nurses.
     
• Senate Bill 803, Printer's Number 832 | Bill Summary  (Piccola) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to permit school districts to advertise from a menu of options for public notice reporting requirements.
   
• Senate Bill 814, Printer's Number 929 | Bill Summary (Corman) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to reinstate the mandate waiver program that expired on June 30, 2010.
   
  • A01111 – An amendment will be offered to correct a typographical error in the legislation.
     
• Senate Bill 844, Printer's Number 864 | Bill Summary  (Dinniman) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to provide an exemption from continuing education for superintendents and school administrators under certain circumstances.
   
• Senate Bill 857, Printer's Number 882 | Bill Summary  (Smucker) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to repeal an obsolete fiscal provision limiting school districts to use of increases in basic education funding to create new programs and expand existing programs.
   
• Senate Bill 858, Printer's Number 883 | Bill Summary  (Waugh) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to permit school districts to hire a person to serve as a superintendent or assistant superintendent if he or she holds a graduate degree in business or finance.
   
  • A01115 – Senator Dinniman will offer an amendment to require a person hired under this new optional provision to successfully complete a leadership development program that meets the Pennsylvania school leadership standards under Section 1217 of the School Code.
     
• Senate Bill 869, Printer's Number 920 | Bill Summary (Alloway) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to provide that no public school district is required to transport a student to any other school or school district outside state borders, except for PDE-approved schools that provide specialized instruction to students with disabilities.
   
• Senate Bill 870, Printer's Number 935 | Bill Summary  (Eichelberger) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to repeal certain provisions relating to paid sick leave and sabbaticals.
   
• Senate Bill 871, Printer's Number 955 | Bill Summary  (Brubaker) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to place a two-year moratorium on Act 48 continuing professional educational requirements.  The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee would be directed to conduct a study of Act 48 continuing education requirements.
   
  • A01218 - The Chair will offer an amendment on behalf of Senator Brubaker to clarify that nothing in the bill shall be construed to impair existing collective bargaining agreements.
     
• Senate Bill 872, Printer's Number 956 | Bill Summary  (Brubaker) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to reduce the requirements placed on school entities and postsecondary institutions that choose to participate in the Opportunities for Educational Excellence program, commonly known as dual or concurrent enrollment.
   
• Senate Bill 873, Printer's Number 957 | Bill Summary  (Brubaker) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to direct PDE to work in conjunction with the State Board of Education to review PDE's PlanCon process and make recommendations and regulations to improve the process.
   
  • A01209 - The Chair will offer an amendment on behalf of Senator Brubaker to exempt school districts that are not eligible for reimbursement for school construction projects from being required to participate in PlanCon.