Pennsylvania HB 1631: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school safety and security, further providing for definitions and for School Safety and Security Grant Program.

Bill Text

2019-2020 Regular Session HB 1631 PN 2137 Bill Text (HTM) 

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PRINTER'S NO. 2137 

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL 

No.

1631 

Session of 

2019 

INTRODUCED BY ORTITAY, SCHMITT, FLYNN, KULIK, RYAN, TOPPER, 

KAUFFMAN, SAYLOR, TURZAI, STRUZZI AND MASSER, JUNE 14, 2019 

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 14, 2019 

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An 

act relating to the public school system, including certain 

provisions applicable as well to private and parochial 

schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the 

laws relating thereto," in school safety and security, 

further providing for definitions and for School Safety and 

Security Grant Program.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 1301-B of the act of March 10, 1949 

(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is 

amended by adding a definition to read:

Section 1301-B. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article 

shall have the meaning given to them in this section unless the 

context clearly indicates otherwise:

* * *

"Department." The Department of Education of the 

Commonwealth.

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Section 2. Section 1306-B of the act, added June 22, 2018 

(P.L.327, No.44), is amended to read:

Section 1306-B. School Safety and Security [Grant] 

Disbursements Program.

(a) Establishment.--The School Safety and Security [Grant] 

Disbursements Program is established to make school entities 

within this Commonwealth safer places.

(b) Functions generally.--The [committee] department shall 

perform all functions related to the [direct] application, 

approval[, disbursement] and administration of [grants under the 

program.

(c) Diversity.--The committee shall ensure that grant 

funding under the program is geographically dispersed throughout 

this Commonwealth.] disbursements of money under this section.

(d) Supplement and not supplant.--[Grant money] Money 

allocated [through the program] under this section shall be used 

to supplement and not supplant existing school entity spending 

on school safety and security.

(e) Effect of revenue received.--[Grant money] Money 

received by a school entity under this section may not be 

included when calculating the amount to be paid to a charter 

school under section 1725-A.

(f) [Minimum allocation.--Each school district that makes a 

meritorious application as prescribed by the committee under 

subsection (j) shall receive a minimum grant allocation of 

$25,000 annually.

(g) Limitation.--Each school entity may submit one 

application annually and no school entity may receive an annual 

grant allocation that exceeds 10% of the funds available under 

the grant program.] Disbursements.--Each school entity that 

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makes a meritorious application as prescribed by the department 

shall receive a disbursement under this section. Annual 

disbursements shall be as follows:

(1) Ten million dollars for grants to community violence 

prevention programs under subsection (j)(22).

(2) Twenty-five thousand dollars to each school 

district.

(3) Twenty-five thousand dollars to each school entity 

other than a school district.

(4) The balance of the amount available for 

disbursements under this section after the allocations under 

paragraphs (1), (2) and (3), to each school district 

according to the following formula:

(i) Multiply the balance by the school district's 

student-weighted average daily membership.

(ii) Divide the product under subparagraph (i) by 

the total student-weighted average daily membership of 

all school entities as of the beginning of the current 

school year.

(h) School Safety and Security Fund.--

(1) The School Safety and Security Fund is established 

as a special nonlapsing fund in the State Treasury.

(2) All money deposited in the fund and the interest it 

accrues are appropriated to the [commission] department on a 

continuing basis to [award grants under this article] 

disburse funds under this section.

(3) No administrative action shall prevent the deposit 

of money into the fund in the fiscal year in which the money 

is received.

(4) The fund may only be used for [the grant program] 

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disbursements authorized under this [article] section and no 

money in the fund may be transferred or diverted to any other 

purpose by administrative action.

(5) Money available to the fund shall include 

appropriations and transfers from the General Fund, special 

funds, Federal funds an