An Act providing for funding for certain State-aided universities for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, for costs basis, for frequency of payments and for recordkeeping requirements; impos, the official text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1645
PRINTER'S NO.  2589
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1421
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY J. HARRIS, MAY 6, 2025
AS RE-REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 12, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for funding for certain State-related STATE-AIDED
universities for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and
ending June 30, 2026, for costs basis, for frequency of
payments and for recordkeeping requirements; imposing a duty
on the Auditor General; providing for financial statements,
for the Agricultural College Land Scrip Fund and for
restrictions; and making appropriations.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1.  Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the State-related
STATE-AIDED University Nonpreferred Appropriation Act of 2025.
Section 2.  Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Auditor General."  The Auditor General of the Commonwealth.
"Current fiscal year."  The fiscal year beginning July 1,
2025, and ending June 30, 2026.
"Department."  The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Prior fiscal year."  The fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024,
and ending June 30, 2025.
"Secretary."  The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.
"State-related "STATE-AIDED university."  The term includes:
(1)  The Pennsylvania State University.
(2)  The University of Pittsburgh.
(3)  Temple University.
(4)  Lincoln University.
(5)  THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
Section 3.  Cost basis during current fiscal year.
Payments made to a State-related STATE-AIDED university on
account of an appropriation under this act shall be made on the
basis of costs during the current fiscal year.
Section 4.  Frequency and basis of payments.
(a)  Monthly payments.--
(1)  Payments made under section 10 to a State-related
STATE-AIDED university from an appropriation provided in this
act shall be made monthly during the current fiscal year.
(2)  (Reserved).
(b)  Estimated costs.--
(1)  The monthly payments shall be made to a State-
related STATE-AIDED university under section 3 on the basis
of estimated costs. The estimate of costs shall be submitted
by the State-related STATE-AIDED university to the secretary,
the General Assembly and the State Treasurer not later than
30 days prior to the date on which the payment is to be made.
(2)  (Reserved).
Section 5.  Purposes of expenditures and statement of
expenditures and costs.
(a)  Duties of State-related STATE-AIDED universities.--
(1)  A State-related STATE-AIDED university shall apply
the money appropriated by this act only for such purposes as
are permitted in this act and shall at all times maintain
proper records showing the application of the money.
(2)  Not later than 120 days after the close of the
current fiscal year, the State-related STATE-AIDED university
shall file, with the secretary, the General Assembly and the
Auditor General, a statement that specifies the amounts and
purposes of all expenditures made from money appropriated by
this act and other university accounts during the current
fiscal year, as provided in section 3, used as a basis for
receipt of an appropriation during the current fiscal year.
(b)  Duties of Auditor General.--The statement of
expenditures and costs shall be reviewed by the Auditor General.
The Auditor General may, with respect to the money appropriated
by this act, audit and disallow expenditures made for purposes
not permitted by this act, recover the sums from the State-
related STATE-AIDED university and transmit the recovered sums
to the State Treasurer. In respect to expenditures made by the
State-related STATE-AIDED university from money other than that
appropriated by this act, the Auditor General may review only,
and shall file annually with the General Assembly, information
concerning those expenditures as the General Assembly or any of
its committees may require.
Section 6.  Duty to provide information.
A State-related university shall provide full, complete and
accurate information as may be required by the department or the
chairperson (A)  INFORMATION GENERALLY.--A STATE-AIDED
UNIVERSITY SHALL PROVIDE FULL, COMPLETE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION
AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY:
(1)  EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2), THE DEPARTMENT;
(2)  IN THE CASE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE; OR
(3)  THE CHAIRPERSON or minority chairperson of the
Appropriations Committee of the Senate or the chairperson or
minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the
House of Representatives.
(B)  COST REDUCTION REPORTING.--THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SHALL REPORT, ON FORMS PROVIDED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO 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 BY SEPTEMBER 30, 2026,
HOW STATE-APPROPRIATED MONEY WAS EXPENDED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-
2026 TO REDUCE THE COSTS TO PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENT STUDENTS OR TO
PROVIDE SERVICES TO PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS.
Section 7.  Financial statements.
A State-related STATE-AIDED university shall present and
report its financial statements required under this act in
accordance with:
(1)  The generally accepted accounting principles as
prescribed by the National Association of College and
University Business Officers, the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants, or their successors, or by any
other recognized authoritative body.
(2)  The "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Budget
Instructions for the State System of Higher Education, State-
Related Universities and Non-State-Related Colleges and
Universities."
(3)  The financial reporting policies and standards
promulgated by the Federal Government and by the Commonwealth
that apply to the State-related STATE-AIDED university.
Section 8.  Agricultural College Land Scrip Fund.
The money of the restricted account within the Agricultural
College Land Scrip Fund is hereby appropriated for the current
fiscal year, in accordance with the act of April 9, 1929
(P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, establishing the
restricted account.
Section 9.  Restrictions, limitations and conditions on use of
appropriations.
The following restrictions and limitations apply:
(1)  Money appropriated by this act to the University of
Pittsburgh may not be used for costs of personnel and
operations of an environmental law clinic.
(2)  Money appropriated by this act to the University of
Pittsburgh shall only be used for costs directly related to
the provision of instruction for graduate and undergraduate
students and costs incurred in providing student-related
services and community outreach services consistent with the
existing laws of this Commonwealth.
(3)  MONEY APPROPRIATED BY THIS ACT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
PENNSYLVANIA SHALL BE CONDITIONED ON:
(I)  CONTINUING AUTHORITY FOR INCLUSION ON THE BOARD
OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA OF A
MINIMUM OF FOUR PERSONS WHO ARE NOT ELECTED OFFICIALS AND
WHO ARE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE
SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE
MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR TERMS OF OFFICE
COTERMINOUS WITH THAT OF THE RESPECTIVE APPOINTING
AUTHORITY; AND
(II)  THE APPOINTEES UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) RECEIVING
FULL VOTING RIGHTS AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
Section 10.  Appropriations.
(a)  Current fiscal year.--The following sums, or as much
thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated to the
boards of trustees of the respective State-related STATE-AIDED
universities for the current fiscal year, for the purposes and
in the amounts as follows:
(1)  To The Pennsylvania State University, for general
support.
State appropriation..........................242,096,000
(2)  To The Pennsylvania State University, for the
Pennsylvania College of Technology.
State appropriation...........................35,670,000
(3)  To the University of Pittsburgh, for general
support.
State appropriation..........................151,507,000
(4)  To the University of Pittsburgh, for rural education
outreach.
State appropriation............................3,791,000
STATE APPROPRIATION............................3,981,000
(5)  To Temple University, for general support.
State appropriation..........................158,206,000
(6)  To Lincoln University, for general support.
State appropriation...........................21,890,000
(7)  TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, FOR VETERINARY
ACTIVITIES.
STATE APPROPRIATION...........................31,560,000
(8)  TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, FOR THE CENTER
FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
STATE APPROPRIATION............................1,793,000
(b)  (Reserved).
Section 11.  Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.