HB 2067 — 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, further providing for temporary emergency provisions.

PRINTER'S NO.   2650

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2067
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, GUENST, SANCHEZ, HILL-EVANS, SHUSTERMAN,
        STEELE, MERSKI AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, NOVEMBER 24, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, DECEMBER 3, 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, further providing for temporary emergency
 7      provisions.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    Section 520.1(a) and (b) of the act of March 10,
11   1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
12   are amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to
13   read:
14      Section 520.1.    Temporary Emergency Provisions.--(a)
15   Whenever an emergency shall arise which the board of school
16   directors of any school district in the performance of its
17   duties could not anticipate or foresee, and which emergency
18   shall result in any such school district being unable to provide
19   for the attendance of all pupils during the prescribed length of
20   school days, number of days per week, or usual hours of classes,
 1   it shall be found as a fact by the school directors of any
 2   school district and so recorded on the minutes of a regular or
 3   special meeting of such board and certified to the
 4   [Superintendent of Public Instruction] Secretary of Education,
 5   and such board of school directors, subject to the approval of
 6   the [Superintendent of Public Instruction] Secretary of
 7   Education, shall have power to put into operation in such school
 8   district any one or more of the temporary provisions hereinafter
 9   provided for, but in no event shall such temporary provisions
10   remain in effect for a period of more than four years after they
11   are first put into effect.
12      (b)   Subject to the foregoing provisions, any board of school
13   directors may:
14      (1)   Keep the schools of the district in session such days
15   and number of days per week as they shall deem necessary or
16   desirable, but the provisions of [this act requiring a minimum
17   of one hundred eighty (180) session days as a school year]
18   section 133 shall not be affected thereby.
19      (2)   Reduce the length of time of daily instruction for
20   various courses and classes.
21      (3)   Transition students to virtual learning either on a
22   full-time or part-time basis.
23      (4)   Furlough nonessential employees.
24      * * *
25      (d)   If the General Appropriation Act has not been enacted
26   within sixty (60) days of the beginning of a new fiscal year, a
27   board of school directors may declare an emergency under this
28   section at any point thereafter and utilize the provisions of
29   this section.
30      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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