HB 1253 — 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, further providing for definitions and for student supports; and, in school safety and security, further providing for definitions, for duties of committee, for standardized protocols and for reporting and memorandum of understanding.

PRINTER'S NO.   1399

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1253
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, MADDEN, PIELLI, SANCHEZ, GIRAL, RABB,
        KAZEEM, MERSKI, HILL-EVANS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, INGLIS,
        D. WILLIAMS, K.HARRIS, STEELE, CERRATO, GREEN AND CIRESI,
        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 student supports, further
 6      providing for definitions and for student supports; and, in
 7      school safety and security, further providing for
 8      definitions, for duties of committee, for standardized
 9      protocols and for reporting and memorandum of understanding.
10      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11   hereby enacts as follows:
12      Section 1.    The definitions of "chief school administrator"
13   and "school property" in section 1301-A of the act of March 10,
14   1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
15   are amended to read:
16      Section 1301-A.     Definitions.--As used in this article,
17      "Chief school administrator" shall mean the superintendent of
18   a public school district, superintendent of an area career and
19   technical school, executive director of an intermediate unit
20   [or], chief executive officer of a charter school or governing
 1   body of a nonpublic school.
 2      * * *
 3      "School property" shall mean any public or nonpublic school
 4   grounds, any school-sponsored activity or any conveyance
 5   providing transportation to a school entity, nonpublic school or
 6   school-sponsored activity.
 7      * * *
 8      Section 2.     Section 1302-A(b)(5) of the act is amended to
 9   read:
10      Section 1302-A.    Student Supports.--* * *
11      (b)   The Department of Education shall have the power and
12   duty to implement the following:
13      * * *
14      (5)   To develop in collaboration and coordination with the
15   School Safety and Security Committee established under section
16   1302-B forms to be used by school entities, nonpublic schools
17   and police departments for reporting incidents involving acts of
18   violence and possession of weapons on school property. The forms
19   shall be reviewed on a biennial basis and revised when
20   necessary.
21      * * *
22      Section 3.     The definition of "chief school administrator" in
23   section 1301-B of the act is amended to read:
24   Section 1301-B.    Definitions.
25      The following words and phrases when used in this article
26   shall have the meaning given to them in this section unless the
27   context clearly indicates otherwise:
28      "Chief school administrator."          [The superintendent of a
29   public school district, superintendent of an area career and
30   technical school, executive director of an intermediate unit or

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 1   chief executive officer of a charter school.] As defined in
 2   section 1301-A.
 3      * * *
 4      Section 4.     Sections 1302.1-B(6) and (7), 1306.2-B(b)(1) and
 5   (2) and 1319-B(b)(3), (c) introductory paragraph, (d)
 6   introductory paragraph, (e) and (f) of the act are amended to
 7   read:
 8   Section 1302.1-B.     Duties of committee.
 9      The committee shall advance practices to improve the safety
10   and security of school entities within this Commonwealth,
11   including developing policies and providing resources, training,
12   guidance and assistance to schools and their partners. In
13   addition to other duties given to the committee under this
14   article, the committee shall have the following powers and
15   duties:
16             * * *
17             (6)   In collaboration and coordination with the
18      department, to verify that each school entity and nonpublic
19      school has complied with reporting and memorandum of
20      understanding requirements under section 1319-B.
21             (7)   In collaboration and coordination with the
22      department, to publish and post on the commission's publicly
23      accessible Internet website a school safety annual report no
24      later than November 1 of each calendar year outlining all
25      incidents required to be reported under section 1319-B and
26      school entities and nonpublic schools that failed to submit a
27      report under section 1319-B.
28             * * *
29   Section 1306.2-B.     Standardized protocols.
30      * * *

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 1      (b)   Regulations.--No later than three years after the
 2   effective date of this section, the committee shall promulgate
 3   final-omitted regulations under the act of June 25, 1982
 4   (P.L.633, No.181), known as the Regulatory Review Act, in
 5   consultation with the department, necessary to implement this
 6   article. The regulations shall include the following:
 7            (1)   A model memorandum of understanding between school
 8      entities or nonpublic schools and law enforcement. The model
 9      memorandum of understanding shall be reviewed at least once
10      every three years and revised where necessary. The committee
11      may revise the model memorandum of understanding by
12      transmitting a notice to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
13      publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania
14      Bulletin that contains the complete revised model memorandum
15      of understanding. The revised model memorandum of
16      understanding shall be incorporated into the Pennsylvania
17      Code and replace the existing model memorandum of
18      understanding.
19            (2)   A protocol for the notification of the law
20      enforcement agency when an offense listed under section 1319-
21      B(b)(7) occurs on school property. The protocol shall include
22      a requirement that the school entity or nonpublic school
23      immediately notify the law enforcement agency when an offense
24      occurs.
25            * * *
26   Section 1319-B.    Reporting and memorandum of understanding.
27      * * *
28      (b)   Reporting by chief school administrator.--A chief school
29   administrator shall report to the department by July 31 of each
30   year all new incidents involving acts of violence, possession of

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 1   a weapon or possession, use or sale of controlled substances as
 2   defined in the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as
 3   The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, or
 4   possession, use or sale of alcohol or tobacco by any person on
 5   school property. The report shall include all incidents
 6   involving conduct that constitutes a criminal offense listed
 7   under paragraphs (7) and (8). Reports, on a form to be developed
 8   and provided by the department, in collaboration and
 9   coordination with the committee, shall include:
10            * * *
11            (3)   The circumstances surrounding the incident,
12      including, but not limited to, the type of weapon, controlled
13      substance, alcohol or tobacco, the date, time and location of
14      the incident, if a person other than a student is involved in
15      the incident and any relationship of the person to the school
16      entity or nonpublic school.
17            * * *
18      (c)   Duties.--Prior to submitting the report required under
19   subsection (b), each chief school administrator and each law
20   enforcement agency having jurisdiction over school property of
21   the school entity or nonpublic school shall comply with the
22   following:
23            * * *
24      (d)   Advisory committee.--A chief school administrator shall
25   form an advisory committee composed of relevant school staff,
26   including, but not limited to, principals, security personnel,
27   school safety and security coordinator, emergency services
28   personnel, school security personnel, guidance counselors and
29   special education administrators to assist in the development of
30   a memorandum of understanding under this section. In

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 1   consultation with the advisory committee, the chief school
 2   administrator shall enter into a memorandum of understanding
 3   with law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction over school
 4   property of the school entity or nonpublic school. The chief
 5   school administrator shall submit a copy of the memorandum of
 6   understanding to the department by June 30, 2024, or in the case
 7   of a nonpublic school, by June 30, 2026, and biennially update
 8   and re-execute a memorandum of understanding with law
 9   enforcement and file the memorandum with the department on a
10   biennial basis. The memorandum of understanding shall be signed
11   by the chief school administrator, the chief of police of the
12   law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the relevant
13   school property and principals of each school building of the
14   school entity or nonpublic school. The memorandum of
15   understanding shall comply with the regulations promulgated
16   under section 1306.2-B and shall also include:
17            * * *
18      (e)   Construction.--Pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 1415(k)(6)
19   (relating to procedural safeguards), nothing in section 1302.1-A
20   or this section shall be construed to prohibit a school entity
21   or nonpublic school from reporting a crime committed by a child
22   with a disability to appropriate authorities or to prevent State
23   law enforcement and judicial authorities from exercising their
24   responsibilities with regard to the application of Federal and
25   State law to crimes committed by a child with a disability.
26      (f)   Noncompliance.--If a school entity, nonpublic school or
27   law enforcement agency fails to comply with the provisions of
28   this section, the school entity, nonpublic school or law
29   enforcement agency may not be awarded any grant administered by
30   the committee until such time as the school entity, nonpublic

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1   school or law enforcement agency has complied with this section.
2      * * *
3      Section 5.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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