1. West Chester Legislative Action Committee Legislative Update
April 6, 2017

2. State Budget Bill – HB 218
$31.5 Billion (Governor’s proposed budget - $32.3 Billion)
BEF: $100 million increase (1.7%)
Special education: $25 million increase (2.3%)
$250,000,000 Ready to Learn Block Grants
Preschool Early Intervention: $11.7 million increase (4.6%)
PreK Counts: $20 (Governor proposed $65 Million) million increase (13.5%)
Head Start: $5 million increase (Governor proposed $10 million) (10%)
$5,995,079,000 for the Basic Education Funding appropriation.  
$100,000,000 increase (1.7 percent) over the appropriation.

3. Legislation – Under Consideration
School Security: HB Amends the Public School Code, in terms and courses of study, requiring school entities to conduct one school security drill within 90 days of commencement of the year each school year in each school building. Effective in 60 days. Passed the House; Will be sent over to the Senate. Passed the House March 13, 187 to 0. Referred to Senate Education Committee.
Graduation Requirements: HB Amends the Public School Code, in preliminary provisions, further providing for Keystone Exams adding that in any school year in which a demonstration of proficiency on a Keystone Exam is required for high school graduation, a CTE Concentrator shall be deemed proficient provided that the CTE Concentrator shall meet all of the outlined requirements. Effective immediately. Passed the House; Will be sent over to the Senate. Passed the House March 13, 187 to 0. First Consideration in the Senate, March 29; set on the Senate calendar, April 18.
Tax Collection Fraud Prevention: HB 16. The bill amends the Local Tax Collection Law to require a tax collector’s account to include his or her title and the name of the municipality and to require tax notices to include the name of the account to which taxes must be paid. The bill tries to deal with some fraud issues. Passed the House on April 5. Now moves to Senate.

4. Legislation – Under Consideration
Epi-Pen Administration: HB Amends the Public School Code, in school health services, authorizing school bus drivers to administer epinephrine auto-injectors, provided the driver adheres to established policies and has successfully completed a training program that shall be developed and implemented by the Department of Health. Effective in 60 days. - Passed the House; Will be sent over to the Senate. Passed the House, March 13. First Consideration in Senate, March 29. Set on Senate calendar, April 18.
EITC Funding: HB Amends the Public School Code increasing the total aggregate amount of all tax credits approved for contributions from business firms to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations and pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations from $125 million to $175 million in a fiscal year. Also increases the total aggregate amount of all tax credits for contributions from business firms to opportunity scholarship organizations from $50 million to $75 million in a fiscal year. First & Second Consideration in the House. Passed the House, March 13. Referred to Senate Education Committee.

5. Legislation – Under Consideration
Paycheck Protection: SB 167; Seeks to amend the PA Constitution by prohibiting school districts from using their payroll systems to collect membership dues, non-membership fees and political contributions from public employee paychecks. First and second consideration; set on Senate Calendar, April 18.
Superintendent Contract Timelines: SB 227;  Changes the date of the required board action on a superintendent or assistant superintendent’s contract from 150 days prior to expiration to 90 days prior to expiration. The bill also extends the existing contract by one year for failure to take this required action. First & Second Consideration; Set on the Senate Calendar, April 18.
Mandated Leave: SB 229; Removes several provisions from the School Code, including the provision requiring a minimum of 10 days of sick leave, the requirement to provide up to 25 days of accumulated sick leave (with the exception of when schools consolidate) to employees switching employers, the requirement to provide bereavement leave, the requirement to provide alternative payment plans and the requirement to provide sabbatical leave. First Consideration; Set on the Senate Calendar, March 29.

6. Legislation – Under Consideration
Property Tax: SB 406 – Amends the Public School Code to requires a 2/3 school board vote on any tax increase. That could have impact on the timing of the tax elimination issue. Legislative leaders are trying to figure out how to get through the budget process without something happening on property tax elimination. While there is a lot of push for the bill, there still is not a final version. However, the issue is still simmering on the back burner. First Consideration, March 29; Set on Senate calendar, April 18.
Full-time Union Leave: SB 494 – Amends the Public School Code, in collective bargaining, prohibiting full-time union leave. , except as required by a currently existing collective bargaining agreement,no employee may continue to accrue benefits, seniority or service credit while on full-time union leave not withstanding a leave for service with a collective bargaining organization as defined in 24 Pa.C.S. $8102. The bill would prohibit such agreements in the future. Further, the legislation provides that the term full time union leave does not include sabbatical leaves, military leaves, or leaves for elective public office. First Consideration, March 29; Set on Senate calendar, April 18.
Response to Audit: HB 453 – Requires any public agency being audited by the state Auditor General (including school districts) to respond to the release of an audit within 120 days or face withholding of appropriations. The bill codifies a formal process. This bill was targeted primarily at state agencies, some of whom lawmakers consider too slow in responding to audits, but it also affects school districts. First consideration, April 5; Set on House Calendar, April 18.

7. Federal Legislative Update
Cuts to Medicaid – Stalled by halt of AHCA
Create Block Grants to States
Pennsylvania public schools currently receive $100 million in ACCESS funding
Efforts to cut Medicaid by 25%
Pit LEAs, hospitals, doctors, pharmaceuticals, and citizens against one another for Medicaid funds
Federal Transgender Guidance Rescinded
Pennsylvania Judge has ruled in favor of transgender students
Grants preliminary injunction to allow students to use bathroom of choice
Boyertown SD being sued for allowing transgender students to use facilities of gender identity

8. Federal Legislative Update
ESSA Accountability Guidelines – Congressional Review Act
USDE still requiring districts to have state accountability plan submitted by Sept. 18, 2017
U.S. House and Senate seeking to over turn accountability rules and teacher preparation rules
HB 610 – Choices in Education Act
Creates national school choice/voucher program
Federal education dollars to go to states that agree to use funds to create voucher programs.
Removes school food/nutrition guidelines