HB 1462 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in duties and powers of boards of school directors, providing for broadcast of interscholastic athletic competitions.

PRINTER'S NO.   1722

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1462
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY STRUZZI, M. BROWN, BERNSTINE, FLEMING, FLICK,
        KRUPA, NEILSON, SMITH, STENDER AND WARNER, MAY 14, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 14, 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 duties and powers of boards of
 6      school directors, providing for broadcast of interscholastic
 7      athletic competitions.
 8      This act may be referred to as The Fair Play Broadcasting
 9   Act.
10      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11   hereby enacts as follows:
12      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
13   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
14   section to read:
15      Section 525.1.    Broadcast of Interscholastic Athletic
16   Competitions.--(a)    Notwithstanding any policy of the
17   Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, in any
18   interscholastic athletic competition in this Commonwealth, the
19   visiting team for a school entity shall have the same rights to
20   provide radio broadcasting, video streaming and telegraphic
 1   play-by-play accounts as the home team for a school entity if
 2   the visiting team meets any of the following criteria:
 3      (1)   The visiting team has a valid agreement to provide radio
 4   broadcasting, video streaming or telegraphic play-by-play
 5   accounts between a media organization and the board of school
 6   directors of the school entity.
 7      (2)   The visiting team has a curricular program for secondary
 8   school students that typically provides radio broadcasting,
 9   video streaming or telegraphic play-by-play for the visiting
10   team's home games.
11      (b)   The provisions of this section shall apply to
12   interscholastic athletic competitions beginning in the 2025-2026
13   school year.
14      (c)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
15   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
16   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
17      "Interscholastic athletic competition" shall mean an athletic
18   competition conducted between or among school entities situated
19   in counties of the second class, second class A, third class,
20   fourth class, fifth class, sixth class, seventh class and eighth
21   class.
22      "Nonpublic school" shall mean as defined in section 923.3-
23   A(b).
24      "Public school" shall mean a school district, charter school,
25   regional charter school or cyber charter school operating within
26   this Commonwealth.
27      "School entity" shall mean a public school or nonpublic
28   school that provides interscholastic athletic opportunities for
29   secondary school students and is a member of the Pennsylvania
30   Interscholastic Athletic Association.

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1      "Secondary school student" shall mean a student who attends a
2   school entity in grades seven through twelve.
3      Section 2.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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