HB 2148 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, requiring certain school entities to adopt policies and procedures relating to access to school property by individuals or certain enforcement officials; and providing for training, reporting to governing bodies of school entities and for department guidelines.

PRINTER'S NO.   2774

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2148
                                                  Session of
                                                    2026

     INTRODUCED BY HOHENSTEIN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, KHAN, MAYES, BURGOS,
        KINKEAD, PIELLI, HILL-EVANS, WAXMAN, GUENST, SANCHEZ, RIVERA,
        GUZMAN, FIEDLER, ISAACSON, RABB, HOWARD, K.HARRIS, OTTEN,
        POWELL, KENYATTA, BELLMON, D. WILLIAMS, SMITH-WADE-EL,
        PARKER, FRANKEL, BOYD, WEBSTER, DALEY, MALAGARI, SOLOMON,
        CERRATO, HANBIDGE, MERSKI, KAZEEM, O'MARA AND STEELE,
        JANUARY 16, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 20, 2026


                                       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," requiring certain school entities to
 6      adopt policies and procedures relating to access to school
 7      property by individuals or certain enforcement officials; and
 8      providing for training, reporting to governing bodies of
 9      school entities and for department guidelines.
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 an
14   article to read:
15                               ARTICLE XIII-F
16                             WELCOMING SCHOOLS
17   Section 1301-F.    Definitions.
18      The following words and phrases when used in this article
19   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
 1   context clearly indicates otherwise:
 2      "Department."        The Department of Education of the
 3   Commonwealth.
 4      "Enforcement agency."        An immigration enforcement agency or a
 5   law enforcement agency.
 6      "Enforcement official."        An official of an enforcement
 7   agency.
 8      "Immigration enforcement agency."        The United States
 9   Department of Homeland Security and its subagencies, including,
10   but not limited to:
11             (1)   United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
12      including Homeland Security Investigations.
13             (2)   United States Customs and Border Protection.
14             (3)   United States Marshals Service.
15             (4)   United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
16             (5)   United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
17      and Explosives.
18             (6)   Any State or local law enforcement agency acting on
19      behalf of the United States Immigration and Customs
20      Enforcement, or an agent or officer for any Federal, State or
21      local agency attempting to enforce Federal immigration law.
22             (7)   Any:
23                   (i)    individual authorized to conduct enforcement of
24             Federal immigration laws; or
25                   (ii)   Federal agent charged with enforcement of civil
26             immigration laws.
27      "Law enforcement agency."        Any of the following:
28             (1)   A police department of a city, borough, incorporated
29      town or township.
30             (2)   The Pennsylvania State Police.

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 1              (3)   A district attorney's office.
 2              (4)   The Office of Attorney General of the Commonwealth.
 3              (5)   A sheriff or deputy sheriff.
 4        "School entity."    A school district, intermediate unit, area
 5   career and technical school, charter school, regional charter
 6   school or cyber charter school.
 7        "School personnel."    An individual within the control of or
 8   acting on behalf of a school district, including, but not
 9   limited to, a school district employee, school bus driver of a
10   school-district-owned bus, after-school provider, contractor,
11   consultant, volunteer, vendor, school security officer, school
12   resource officer as defined in section 1301-C or service
13   provider.
14        "School zone."    School property owned by, leased by or under
15   the control of a school entity.
16   Section 1302-F.      Welcoming schools.
17        Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and each year
18   thereafter, each school entity shall provide assurance of
19   continued access of the school entity's school zones to each
20   student, parent, guardian and school personnel, regardless of
21   immigration status.
22   Section 1303-F.      Resolution.
23        (a)   Policies and procedures required.--Within 90 days of the
24   effective date of this subsection, each school entity shall
25   develop policies and procedures for creating and promoting an
26   inclusive learning environment in accordance with section 1304-
27   F.
28        (b)   Resolution required.--Each board of directors or
29   governing body of a school entity shall adopt the policies and
30   procedures by resolution, which must be adopted by majority vote

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 1   at a public meeting. At least 45 days prior to the public
 2   meeting, the board of directors or governing body shall make
 3   available for public inspection the resolution proposed for
 4   adoption.
 5      (c)     Publication of resolution.--A school entity shall make
 6   the resolution required under subsection (b) available, in each
 7   language spoken by a student at the student's home, to all
 8   students, parents, guardians and school personnel no less than
 9   30 days prior to the public meeting required under subsection
10   (b). A school entity shall publish the resolution in the same
11   manner and as a part of the publication of notice of the public
12   meeting.
13      (d)     Review and amendment of policies and procedures.--No
14   later than 30 days before the beginning of each school year, and
15   thereafter each quarter of the school year, a school entity
16   shall review the policies and procedures adopted under this
17   section. If amendment of the policies and procedures is
18   necessary, the school entity shall amend its policies and
19   procedures through the resolution process specified in this
20   section.
21   Section 1304-F.    Policy and procedure.
22      (a)     Requirements.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a
23   school entity shall adopt policies and procedures for creating
24   and promoting a welcoming and inclusive learning environment in
25   accordance with this article. The policies and procedures shall
26   include the following requirements:
27            (1)   A school entity shall designate a superintendent,
28      other chief administrative officer or school personnel to
29      perform the duties and to respond under this article to any
30      request under this article to enter any part of its school

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 1    zone.
 2        (2)   A school entity shall designate areas of the school
 3    zone that are:
 4              (i)     public with entry accessible to the public,
 5        including lobby and waiting areas;
 6              (ii)     nonpublic with entry prohibited to the public,
 7        including the interior areas of a school building, a
 8        school bus or the area designated for arrival or
 9        departure of students traveling by school bus; and
10              (iii)     areas with adjustable status of public and
11        nonpublic dependent on time and usage of area. A school
12        entity shall develop guidelines for adjustable status.
13        (3)   A school entity shall post signage for:
14              (i)    designated public or nonpublic areas; and
15              (ii)     adjustable areas.
16        (4)   If an officer or agent of an immigration enforcement
17    agency requests entry to a school zone, regardless of a
18    presentment of a signed judicial warrant, the designated
19    school personnel shall:
20              (i)    Provide the officer or agent with a copy of the
21        welcoming schools resolution.
22              (ii)    Request official identification and contact
23        information from the officers or agents and photocopy the
24        identification and information for the school entity's
25        record.
26              (iii)    Document statements and grounds for the
27        request made by the officer or agent requesting entry and
28        statements or acts taken by any officer or agent present.
29              (iv)    Document the names of any students or school
30        personnel identified by the officer or agent.

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 1              (v)    Provide digital transmittal of all documentation
 2        to the school entity solicitor.
 3        (5)   The designated school personnel shall:
 4              (i)    request an enforcement official to present to
 5        the designated school personnel a signed judicial warrant
 6        that properly extends to the school zone where the
 7        subject of the warrant is located; and
 8              (ii)    photocopy the warrant provided to the school
 9        entity for its record and for concurrent digital
10        transmittal to the school entity solicitor.
11        (6)   The designated school personnel has no authority to
12    consent to entry and the enforcement official or agent's
13    request to enter the school entity's premises is deemed
14    denied in the event that any of the following factors exist:
15              (i)    the enforcement official fails to present a
16        signed judicial warrant;
17              (ii)    the enforcement official presents a judicial
18        warrant that is not signed;
19              (iii)    the enforcement official presents a judicial
20        warrant that is incomplete, contains inaccurate
21        information or is otherwise improper; or
22              (iv)    the enforcement official presents an
23        administrative warrant and no exigent circumstances are
24        specifically claimed to exist.
25        (7)   A contract or agreement entered into by a school
26    entity with a school bus company or operator after the
27    effective date of this paragraph shall include a provision
28    that prohibits the company, operator or its employees from:
29              (i)    assisting or providing personal information
30        related to a student assigned to a bus provided by the

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 1        school bus company or operator, including the student's
 2        name, home address, bus stop or immigration status; or
 3               (ii)    permitting an enforcement official or agent to
 4        enter the bus if at least one factor under paragraph (6)
 5        exists.
 6        (8)    (i)     Regardless of whether within a school zone or
 7        situate outside the boundaries of a school zone, an
 8        individual who is deemed school personnel may not:
 9                      (A)   inquire into the immigration status of a
10               student, a student's family, parent or guardian; or
11                      (B)   formally or informally provide or discuss
12               information related to the immigration status of a
13               student, a student's parent or guardian, a member of
14               the student's family or an individual who is deemed
15               school personnel.
16               (ii)    The board of directors or governing body of a
17        school entity must establish a disciplinary process and
18        procedure for an individual who is deemed school
19        personnel and who violates subparagraph (i).
20        (9)    School personnel must refuse an enforcement
21    official's entry to a school zone for the purpose of a
22    wellness check when the designated school personnel, at the
23    personnel's discretion, determines the wellness check
24    requires a lawful warrant.
25        (10)    In the event circumstances permit, a request made
26    by an immigration enforcement agency or other enforcement
27    agency for access to a school entity's building, facility,
28    grounds, school zone or school bus must be directed to the
29    school entity's superintendent and school solicitor 24 hours
30    before the requested time of entry for determination of

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 1      whether to grant the request. The requesting official must:
 2                   (i)    present official credentials;
 3                   (ii)    have the proper signed judicial warrant; and
 4                   (iii)    receive written approval from the
 5            superintendent to enter the school entity's building,
 6            facility, grounds or school zone.
 7            (11)    Regarding a student's parent or guardian, or the
 8      student when the student is over 18 years of age, the school
 9      entity shall:
10                   (i)    not share student records or other confidential
11            information protected by Federal or State law; and
12                   (ii)    provide notice of the right to opt out of
13            disclosing directory information such as a home address
14            and place of birth at least twice a year in August and
15            January.
16      (b)   Notification.--The school entity shall notify the parent
17   or guardian of any student subject to a request for access or
18   entry to a school entity or school zone by an immigration
19   enforcement agency or an enforcement agency within 48 hours of
20   the request.
21      (c)   Review of existing policy.--A school entity that
22   previously adopted a policy satisfying the requirements of
23   subsection (a) shall review and update, if necessary, the
24   existing policy.
25   Section 1305-F.         Training.
26      (a)   Content of training.--A school entity shall provide
27   school personnel with training that ensures that school
28   personnel understand and are knowledgeable about:
29            (1)    the school policies required under this article;
30            (2)    determining the scope of a valid judicial warrant,

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 1      including the distinction between a signed judicial warrant
 2      and an administrative warrant;
 3            (3)   the requirements and effect of a wellness check;
 4            (4)   when a request for a wellness check exceeds the
 5      boundaries of a wellness check; and
 6            (5)   the procedures to follow and that the required
 7      compliance is critical and understood by the school
 8      personnel.
 9      (b)   Annual training.--A school entity shall annually provide
10   training required in this section at least 15 days prior to the
11   beginning of each school year. In the event school policies
12   required in this article are amended by resolution and adopted
13   under section 1303-F, training required in this section shall
14   occur within 15 days of the adoption of a resolution.
15   Section 1306-F.        Professional development.
16      (a)   Training required.--
17            (1)   Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and each
18      year thereafter, each school entity shall include in the
19      school entity's professional development plan submitted to
20      the department for approval pursuant to section 1205.1 four
21      hours of training required under section 1305-F related to
22      the following:
23                  (i)    Creating and promoting welcoming schools.
24                  (ii)    Implementation of the policies of the school
25            entity under this article.
26                  (iii)    Limitations on enforcement agency ability to
27            disrupt a student's right to an education.
28                  (iv)    Ensuring the privacy of student records as
29            required by Federal and State law, including the right of
30            a parent, guardian or student who is over the age of 18

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 1            to opt out of sharing directory information.
 2            (2)   A school entity may use the materials made available
 3      by the department under subsection (b).
 4      (b)   Information required to be posted.--The department shall
 5   compile, develop and post the following on the department's
 6   publicly accessible Internet website, which may include
 7   materials already publicly available:
 8            (1)   Recommended guidelines and educational materials for
 9      the training required under subsection (a).
10            (2)   Recommended resources and age-appropriate education
11      materials on a right to education, the right to access an
12      education free from fear of immigration enforcement and the
13      safeguards on the release of information without consent.
14            (3)   Recommended responses to requests for information or
15      access at a school entity or a school zone.
16            (4)   Recommended guidelines and education materials for
17      anti-bullying at a school entity or school zone and awareness
18      and prevention of bullying related to immigration status,
19      ethnicity or national origins.
20            (5)   Recommended individual and schoolwide supportive
21      services and restorative school climate programming to
22      address any fear and trauma experienced by students and
23      school personnel from actual or potential enforcement action.
24   Section 1307-F.    Report.
25      No later than five days after an action by an enforcement
26   agent occurs at a school entity or school zone, the
27   superintendent shall submit a written incident report to the
28   board of directors or governing body of the school entity. The
29   incident report shall contain the following information:
30            (1)   The date and location in which the action was

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 1    requested, whether granted or denied by the designated school
 2    personnel of the school entity.
 3        (2)   The type of action, whether a request for
 4    information or a request for entry.
 5        (3)   The number of individuals, if any, arrested or taken
 6    into custody because of granting the request for information
 7    or entry to the school zone.
 8        (4)   The requesting enforcement agency, department and
 9    official responsible for the action.
10        (5)   Written notes recorded by the designated school
11    personnel of the school entity documenting:
12              (i)    requests made by the enforcement official;
13              (ii)    action taken by the enforcement official while
14        in the school zone;
15              (iii)    the enforcement official's treatment of the
16        subject of the warrant;
17              (iv)    the enforcement official's treatment of the
18        student population of the school entity, if any occurred;
19              (v)    the enforcement official's treatment of the
20        school personnel; and
21              (vi)    whether the designated school personnel or any
22        other individual in the school zone witnessed any act by
23        the enforcement official that appeared to have exceeded
24        the lawful authority of the enforcement official while
25        executing the warrant.
26        (6)   A thorough description of the circumstances that
27    purportedly justified the action.
28        (7)   A copy of the credentials provided by the
29    enforcement official, including a copy of the official's
30    identification documents and any warrant and subpoena.

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 1          (8)   An overview of individual supportive services and
 2      schoolwide restorative school climate programming available
 3      and offered to students and personnel.
 4   Section 1308-F.    Department guidelines.
 5      Within 30 days of the effective date of this section, the
 6   department shall develop and publish guidelines to assist school
 7   entities in the implementation of this article. The department
 8   shall review and update the guidelines, as necessary, but no
 9   less than annually. The department shall post guidelines issued
10   under this section on the department's publicly accessible
11   Internet website.
12      Section 2.     This act shall take effect immediately.




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