HB 1002 — 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 notification of certain incidents required.

PRINTER'S NO.   1089

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1002
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, McNEILL,
        OTTEN, GREINER, SANCHEZ, DONAHUE, SCHLOSSBERG, HOWARD,
        STEELE, CERRATO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND CONKLIN, MARCH 24, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 24, 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 notification of certain incidents required.
 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 1314-A.    Parental Notification of Certain Incidents
13   Required.--(a)    Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each
14   school entity shall adopt a policy on how to notify the parents
15   or legal guardians of each student who threatens suicide or is
16   involved in an incident of bullying, as defined in section
17   1303.1-A, inform each school entity employe and the parent or
18   legal guardian of each student enrolled in the school entity of
19   the policy and post the policy on the school entity's publicly
 1   accessible Internet website. The policy adopted by a school
 2   entity under this subsection may be based upon the model policy
 3   developed by the department under subsection (c). If a school
 4   entity notifies a parent or legal guardian of an incident or
 5   threat required to be reported, the school entity shall:
 6      (1)   Produce and maintain a record verifying that the parent
 7   or legal guardian was notified of the incident or threat.
 8   Records under this paragraph shall be exempt from access under
 9   the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-
10   to-Know Law.
11      (2)   Provide the parent or legal guardian with suicide
12   prevention materials and information, which shall include
13   information on ways to limit the student's access to fatal
14   means, including a firearm or medication.
15      (b)   A school entity shall:
16      (1)   Provide a student with a copy of a record maintained
17   under subsection (a) that relates to the student if the student
18   requests a copy of the record.
19      (2)   Expunge a school record maintained under subsection (a)
20   that relates to the student if the student has graduated from
21   high school and requests that the record be expunged.
22      (c)   The department shall:
23      (1)   Develop a model policy on how to notify the parents or
24   legal guardians of a student that the student has threatened
25   suicide or been involved in an incident of bullying and make the
26   policy available to all school entities and, upon request, to
27   nonpublic schools. The department may develop the model policy
28   in consultation with a youth suicide prevention organization
29   operating in this Commonwealth.
30      (2)   Compile, develop and post on the department's publicly

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1   accessible Internet website resources and age-appropriate
2   educational materials on youth suicide awareness and prevention,
3   including ways to limit a student's access to fatal means,
4   including firearms and medication. The department shall make the
5   resources and education materials available to all school
6   entities and, upon request, to nonpublic schools.
7      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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