HB 1246 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in grounds and buildings, providing for temperature control standards.

PRINTER'S NO.   1395

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1246
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, WAXMAN, HOWARD, MAYES, SANCHEZ, HILL-
        EVANS, MADDEN, D. WILLIAMS, RUSNOCK, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, STEELE,
        K.HARRIS AND MERSKI, APRIL 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 17, 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 grounds and buildings, providing
 6      for temperature control standards.
 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 743.    Temperature Control Standards.--(a)   A school
13   entity shall maintain a temperature-controlled environment that
14   is conducive to learning in the school entity's facilities by:
15      (1)   To the greatest extent possible, maintaining room
16   temperatures within the target range of sixty-eight (68) degrees
17   Fahrenheit to seventy-nine (79) degrees Fahrenheit in all
18   occupied areas of a facility.
19      (2)   Measuring the temperature of an occupied area of a
 1   facility when a temperature outside the target range is
 2   suspected, which measurement shall be taken in the area where
 3   the greatest temperature extreme is expected to occur.
 4      (3)   Relocating students and staff from an occupied area with
 5   a recorded temperature below sixty-three (63) degrees Fahrenheit
 6   or above eighty-nine (89) degrees Fahrenheit within two (2)
 7   hours of the temperature measurement.
 8      (4)   Reporting a temperature-related relocation within
 9   twenty-four (24) hours to the Department of Environmental
10   Protection in a manner determined by the Department of
11   Environmental Protection.
12      (b)   The Department of Environmental Protection shall conduct
13   an inspection of a school entity's facility from which students
14   and staff were relocated more than four (4) times in a school
15   year under subsection (a) to ensure that the facility meets
16   state indoor air quality standards.
17      (c)   A school entity shall review and implement, to the
18   extent feasible and appropriate and to the extent permitted by
19   local building and fire codes, temperature control measures,
20   including:
21      (1)   Short term measures for excessive cold weather, such as
22   using portable space heaters, relocating students to areas of a
23   school entity's facility at or above sixty-three (63) degrees
24   Fahrenheit and increasing access to sunlight.
25      (2)   Long term measures for excessive cold weather, such as
26   the installation of permanent heating equipment and energy-
27   efficient windows, using programmable thermostats and enhancing
28   the maintenance of heating equipment.
29      (d)   As used in this section, the term "school entity" means
30   a school district, charter school, regional charter school,

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1   intermediate unit or area career and technical school operating
2   within this Commonwealth.
3      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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