Pennsylvania SB 432: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in the State System of Higher Education, providing for educational opportunities for foster and adopted children.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 399, 935 PRINTER'S NO. 1209
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 432
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY PENNYCUICK, FONTANA, LAUGHLIN, J. WARD, STEFANO
AND MASTRIANO, MARCH 17, 2025
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, OCTOBER 6, 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 the State System of Higher
Education, providing for educational opportunities for foster
and adopted children.
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 2023-A. Educational Opportunities for Foster and
A dopted Children.--(a) An institution shall provide each
eligible nonresident student who enrolls FULL TIME with a
fostering independence waiver for IN-PERSON undergraduate
courses FOR THE FIRST TIME beginning with the semester starting
in fall 2025 2027 .
(b) To be eligible for a fostering independence waiver an
individual must:
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(1) Be eligible for a Chafee Education and Training Grant
under the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-
169, 113 Stat. 1822).
(2) Have experienced foster care at sixteen years of age or
older or, after attaining sixteen years of age, exited foster
care to adoption or permanent legal custodianship.
(3) Apply for Federal and State grants.
(c) The fostering independence waiver shall be available for
up to five years, whether or not consecutive, or until the
individual reaches twenty-six years of age BY JULY 1 OF THE
UPCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR , whichever occurs first.
(d) An institution shall annually BY DECEMBER 31, 2028, AND
BY DECEMBER 31 EACH YEAR THEREAFTER report the number of
students who enroll and receive a fostering independence waiver
under this section to the system, and the system shall report
the information to the Governor, the Department of Education,
the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations
Committee of the Senate and , the chairperson and minority
chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the House of
Representatives . , THE CHAIRPERSON AND MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF
THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE SENATE AND THE CHAIRPERSON AND
MINORITY CHAIRPERSON OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
(e) For the purposes of this section, the term "fostering
independence waiver" means an amount equal to the waiver of
tuition and mandatory fees after the subtraction of the amount
of any Federal grants, State grants and other scholarships or
grants an individual receives.
(E) THE SYSTEM, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE INSTITUTIONS, SHALL
DEVELOP UNIFORM GUIDELINES, INCLUDING, AT A MINIMUM,
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW A NONRESIDENT STUDENT MAY APPLY FOR A
FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE WAIVER AND HOW AN INSTITUTION MAY VERIFY
A NONRESIDENT STUDENT'S STATUS AS FOSTER CARE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE
CHAFEE EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM WITH THE AGENCY.
(F) AN INSTITUTION SHALL:
(1) TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY A
NONRESIDENT STUDENT'S STATUS AS FOSTER CARE ELIGIBLE UNDER
THE CHAFEE EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM OR ACCESS
ANOTHER STATE'S FOSTER CARE OR ELIGIBILITY RECORDS WITH
PROPER AUTHORIZATION. AN INSTITUTION MAY PERMIT A NONRESIDENT
STUDENT TO SELF-DISCLOSE CHAFEE EDUCATION AND TRAINING
GRANT ELIGIBILITY WITHOUT VERIFICATION IF AGENCY VERIFICATION
CANNOT BE OBTAINED. A UNIVERSITY MAY DENY, SUSPEND OR REVOKE
A FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE WAIVER IF A STUDENT IS FOUND TO HAVE
FALSIFIED THEIR ELIGIBILITY.
(2) MONITOR A FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE WAIVER RECIPIENT'S
ELIGIBILITY AND ACADEMIC PROGRESS.
(G) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "FOSTERING
INDEPENDENCE WAIVER" MEANS AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE WAIVER OF
TUITION AND MANDATORY FEES AFTER THE SUBTRACTION OF THE AMOUNT
OF ANY FEDERAL GRANTS, STATE GRANTS AND OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS OR
GRANTS AN INDIVIDUAL RECEIVES.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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