Pennsylvania HB 685: 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, providing for admission fees for school-sponsored activities.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 701 PRINTER'S NO. 1025
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 685
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MOUL, CONKLIN, SMITH, COOK, REICHARD, HARKINS,
VENKAT, ZIMMERMAN, JAMES, CAUSER, MENTZER, STAATS, PICKETT,
BANTA, ROWE, ROAE, NEILSON, KRUPA, RIVERA, WHITE, SCHMITT,
TWARDZIK, E. NELSON, MAKO, FLOOD, RADER, BONNER, STAMBAUGH,
M. MACKENZIE, EMRICK, FLICK, STENDER, KUZMA, GAYDOS, DAVANZO,
GREINER, METZGAR, BERNSTINE, IRVIN, CUTLER, ECKER, T. JONES,
HAMM, FRIEL, KLUNK, MUSTELLO, GILLEN AND BASHLINE,
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 18, 2025
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 duties and powers of boards of
school directors, providing for admission fees for school-
sponsored activities.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 511.1. Admission Fees for School-Sponsored
Activities.--(a) When a fee is charged for admission to a
school-sponsored activity, United States currency shall be
accepted as a form of payment for admission on the date of the
activity.
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(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a
school-sponsored activity from accepting alternative payment
methods in addition to United States currency for admission to
the school-sponsored activity.
(c) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Interscholastic athletic activity" shall mean an athletic
contest or competitions conducted between or among school
entities or nonpublic school entities in this Commonwealth.
"School entity" shall mean a school district, intermediate
unit, area career and technical school, charter school, cyber
charter school or regional charter school.
"School-sponsored activity" shall mean an assembly, field
trip, class trip, graduation ceremony, interscholastic athletic
activity, extracurricular activity, club, group, team or any
activity sponsored, held or approved by a school entity within
its buildings, grounds or other location not owned or operated
by the school entity.
"United States currency" shall mean the coin and paper money
of the United States.
SECTION 511.1. ADMISSION FEES FOR SCHOOL-SPONSORED
ACTIVITIES.--(A) IF A SCHOOL ENTITY, NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR
ASSOCIATION COLLECTS A FEE FOR ADMISSION TO A SCHOOL-SPONSORED
ACTIVITY, CASH SHALL BE ACCEPTED AS A FORM OF PAYMENT FOR
ADMISSION.
(B) IN ADDITION TO ACCEPTING CASH AS PAYMENT FOR ADMISSION,
A SCHOOL ENTITY, NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR ASSOCIATION MAY ACCEPT
OTHER PAYMENT METHODS FOR ADMISSION TO THE SCHOOL-SPONSORED
ACTIVITY.
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(C) A SCHOOL ENTITY, NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR ASSOCIATION MAY
REFUSE TO ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR ADMISSION THAT IS IN A DENOMINATION
THAT SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT OF THE FEE UNDER
SUBSECTION (A).
(D) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES
SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SUBSECTION UNLESS
THE CONTEXT CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE:
"ASSOCIATION" SHALL MEAN THE PENNSYLVANIA INTERSCHOLASTIC
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
"CASH" SHALL MEAN ALL COINS AND CURRENCIES RECOGNIZED AS
LEGAL TENDER UNDER 31 U.S.C. § 5103 (RELATING TO LEGAL TENDER).
"INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ACTIVITY" SHALL MEAN AN ATHLETIC
CONTEST OR COMPETITIONS CONDUCTED BETWEEN OR AMONG SCHOOL
ENTITIES OR NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.
"NONPUBLIC SCHOOL" SHALL MEAN AS DEFINED IN SECTION 923.3-
A(B).
"SCHOOL ENTITY" SHALL MEAN A SCHOOL DISTRICT, INTERMEDIATE
UNIT, AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL, CHARTER SCHOOL, CYBER
CHARTER SCHOOL OR REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL.
"SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITY" SHALL MEAN AN ASSEMBLY, FIELD
TRIP, CLASS TRIP, GRADUATION CEREMONY, INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC
ACTIVITY, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY, CLUB, GROUP, TEAM OR ANY
ACTIVITY SPONSORED, HELD OR APPROVED BY A SCHOOL ENTITY OR
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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