HB 772 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in pupils and attendance, further providing for suspension and expulsion of pupils.

PRINTER'S NO.   794

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 772
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, MADDEN, KENYATTA, SANCHEZ, HILL-EVANS,
        HOWARD AND FREEMAN, MARCH 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 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 pupils and attendance, further
 6      providing for suspension and expulsion of pupils.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    Section 1318 of the act of March 10, 1949
10   (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
11   amended to read:
12      Section 1318.    Suspension and Expulsion of Pupils.--(a)
13   Every principal or teacher in charge of a public school may
14   temporarily suspend any pupil who is eight (8) years of age or
15   older on account of disobedience or misconduct, and any
16   principal or teacher suspending any pupil shall promptly notify
17   the district superintendent or secretary of the board of school
18   directors. The board may, after a proper hearing, suspend such
19   child for such time as it may determine, or may permanently
20   expel [him] the pupil. Such hearings, suspension, or expulsion
 1   may be delegated to a duly authorized committee of the board, or
 2   to a duly qualified hearing examiner, who need not be a member
 3   of the board, but whose adjudication must be approved by the
 4   board.
 5        (b)   A principal or teacher in charge of a public school may
 6   not exclude a pupil specified under subsection (a) from in-
 7   person instruction for more than ten (10) school days without a
 8   proper hearing.
 9        (c)   A principal or teacher in charge of a public school may
10   not suspend or expel a pupil younger than eight (8) years of age
11   from a public school or publicly funded pre-kindergarten program
12   unless the pupil poses an imminent threat of harm or danger to
13   others in the public school or pre-kindergarten program.
14        (d)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit
15   the expulsion of a pupil in accordance with section 1317.2.
16        (e)   As used in this section, the term "pre-kindergarten
17   program" shall have the same meaning as defined in section 2002-
18   B.
19        Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB0772PN0794                    - 2 -