HB 1461, PN 2288 (Harris) – Provides funding for state-related universities for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2024. A vote of 45-5 was recorded.
HB 301, PN 2311 (Harkins) – Makes several amendments to the Public School Code as part of the 2023-2024 budget plan. A vote of 45-5 was recorded.
SB 596, PN 1232 (Argall) – Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to provide for the offense of organized retail theft and to establish the Office of Deputy Attorney General for Organized Retail Crime Theft. A vote of 46-4 was recorded.
SB 945, PN 1111 (Brown) – This legislation incorporates the County Code (Act 130 of 1955) into Title 16 (Counties) and makes related repeals to Act 130 of 1955 and in Title 16. A vote of 50-0 was recorded.
HB 1556, PN 1817 (Klunk) – An Act amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, in State-related institutions, further providing for reporting, for contents of report and for copies and posting and providing for contracts. A vote of 50-0 was recorded.
SB 907, PN 1182 (Regan) – Amends the Public School Code to mandate that every single public school building have school security personnel with a gun.
Senator Regan offered amendment (A02989) which requires the school safety and security coordinator to make an annual report, beginning no later than June 30, 2024, on the school’s security personnel to the school entity’s board during an executive session. The report is to include certain enumerated data and will not be subject to the Right-to-Know Law.
The amendment allows a school to apply to the committee for a waiver of meeting the armed school security personnel requirement. The commission is required to establish criteria for the waivers. To request a waiver, the school would need to provide documentation showing the inability to meet the requirements of having an armed school security due to reasons such as:
- There is no municipal police department or law enforcement agency to provide school resource officer or
- The school has been unable to hire or contract a school police officer or school security guard.
The amendment changes the requirement to provide armed school security personnel at each school building beginning 2024-2025 school year, to a phase-in period over 3 school years of increasing the school security personnel to 100% by 2027-2028 school year.
The amendment was approved by a vote of 41-9 and the bill was rereferred to the Appropriations committee.
SR 178, PN 1227 (Martin) – Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study evaluating the outcomes of Act 44 of 2018 with findings and recommendations. A vote of 50-0 was recorded.