Pennsylvania HB 192: An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in qualifications of electors, further providing for qualifications of electors at primaries; in party organization, further providing for only enrolled electors to vote at primaries or hold party offices; in nomination of candidates, further providing for candidates to be nominated and party officers to be elected at primaries and providing for procedure for unenrolled electors to cast primary ballots; and, in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for manner of applying to vote, persons entitled to vote, voter's certificates, entries to be made in district register, numbered lists of voters and challenges.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 139
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 192
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY GUZMAN, D. MILLER, GIRAL, FREEMAN, D. WILLIAMS,
PROBST, HILL-EVANS, RIVERA, PIELLI, SANCHEZ, KENYATTA,
DONAHUE, ABNEY, STEELE, INGLIS, GUENST, MALAGARI, HANBIDGE,
DEASY AND SCHLOSSBERG, JANUARY 16, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 16, 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 intermediate units, repealing
provisions relating to psychological services; in
professional employees, further providing for definitions and
providing for school social workers; and, in school health
services, further providing for health services and providing
for school counselors, school psychologists, school social
workers and school nurses.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 923.1-A of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
repealed:
[Section 923.1-A. Psychological Services.--(a) Legislative
Finding; Declaration of Policy. It is today recognized that
diagnostic and evaluative psychological services to children are
closely related to their physical, mental and emotional health.
Such services can best be rendered upon the premises of the
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school which the child regularly attends, and forcing children
to go to other premises in order to have such needed services is
found by the General Assembly to be both inadequate and harmful.
The General Assembly expressly finds and declares diagnostic and
evaluative psychological services for children to be health
services, and it is the intention of the General Assembly now to
make these available, on a general and even-handed basis, to all
school children in the Commonwealth.
(b) Definitions.--The following terms, whenever used or
referred to in this section, shall have the following meanings,
except in those circumstances where the context clearly
indicates otherwise:
"Nonpublic school" means any nonprofit school, other than a
public school within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, wherein a
resident of the Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory
school attendance requirements and which meets the requirements
of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352).
"Psychological services" means diagnostic and evaluative
psychological services for children.
(c) Provision of Services.--The Secretary of Education
directly, or through the intermediate units out of their
allocation under section 922.1-A of this act shall have the
power and duty to furnish free to nonpublic school students,
upon the premises of the nonpublic schools which they regularly
attend, psychological services provided that such services are
also afforded to public school students by the public school
district in which such nonpublic school is located.]
Section 2. Section 1101(1) of the act is amended to read:
Section 1101. Definitions.--As used in this article,
(1) The term "professional employe" shall include those who
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are certificated, such as teachers, supervisors, supervising
principals, principals, assistant principals, vice-principals,
directors of career and technical education, dental hygienists,
visiting teachers, home and school visitors, school social
workers, school counselors, child nutrition program specialists,
school librarians, school secretaries the selection of whom is
on the basis of merit as determined by eligibility lists and
school nurses.
* * *
Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1107.1. School Social Workers.--(a) A school entity
that employs a school social worker must require the individual
employed in the position to hold an educational specialist
certificate for school social workers issued by the Department
of Education.
(b) The requirements of subsection (a) shall not apply when
the individual:
(1) meets the exception for a school social worker as
specified in section 20(a.1) of the act of July 9, 1987
(P.L.220, No.39), known as the "Social Workers, Marriage and
Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act"; or
(2) is employed as or performing the duties of a school
social worker in a school entity in this Commonwealth and holds
either a social worker license issued by the Department of State
or another certificate issued by the Department of Education
prior to the development of an educational specialist
certificate for school social workers by the Department of
Education under subsection (c).
(c) The Department of Education shall develop an educational
specialist certificate for school social workers no later than
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