Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the current version. The official bill page.
HOUSE AMENDED PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 199, 752, 764, 1009 PRINTER'S NO. 1030 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL No. 246 Session of 2025 INTRODUCED BY COLEMAN, TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, COSTA, STEFANO, DUSH, ARGALL AND MASTRIANO, FEBRUARY 13, 2025 AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JUNE 30, 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 student supports, providing for parental and employee notification of certain incidents. 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 1303.2-A. Parental and Employe Notification of Certain Incidents.--(a) A school entity , nonpublic school or private school shall notify parents and guardians and school employes of certain incidents involving: (1) The possession of a weapon on any school property that constitutes a violation of one of the following: (i) Section 1317.2. (ii) 18 Pa.C.S. § 912 (relating to possession of weapon on school property). (iii) Locally established policies of the school entity's , nonpublic school's or private school's governing body relating to weapons. (2) A A SECOND AND EACH SUBSEQUENT violation of a school entity's, nonpublic school's or private school's bullying policy BY A STUDENT . For purposes of this paragraph, the term "bullying" shall have the same meaning as in section 1303.1- A(e). (3) An incident that constitutes harassment under 18 Pa.C.S. § 2709 (relating to harassment). (4) An incident that involves serious bodily injury. (5) An incident that involves INTENTIONAL AND SIGNIFICANT damage to school property , THE COST OF WHICH TO REPAIR IS GREATER THAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000) . (b) The following shall apply: (1) Unless the circumstances of the incident necessitate otherwise, the notification shall be made in accordance with the following: (i) The notification required under subsection (a) shall be made within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident. (ii) The notification shall be made using a method of communication likely to reach parents and guardians and school employes. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), if an incident involves the possession of a weapon or INTENTIONAL AND SIGNIFICANT damage to school property , THE COST OF WHICH TO REPAIR IS IN EXCESS OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000), and occurs at a school building, the school entity , nonpublic school or private school may limit notification to parents and guardians of students enrolled in or attending, or school employes assigned to, the school building where the incident occurred. (3) If the school building at which the incident occurs shares a campus with other school buildings, the school entity , nonpublic school or private school shall make notification to parents and guardians of students enrolled in or attending, or school employes assigned to, any building situated on the shared campus. (4) If an incident involves the possession of a weapon or INTENTIONAL AND SIGNIFICANT damage to school property , THE COST OF WHICH TO REPAIR IS IN EXCESS OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000), and occurs at a school-sponsored activity or on a public conveyance providing transportation to or from a school or school-sponsored activity, the following shall apply: (i) The school entity , nonpublic school or private school shall ensure that the notification required under this section reaches the appropriate population of parents and guardians and school employes. (ii) A notification is not required if the incident is not directly related to the school-sponsored activity or the students or staff involved in the activity. (5) Subject to 20 U.S.C. § 1232g (relating to family educational and privacy rights), a school employe to whom a student in possession of a weapon under subsection (a) is assigned shall be deemed to be a school official with legitimate educational interest in the student, and the school entity , nonpublic school or private school shall notify the school employe of the student's identity and portion of the student's records relating to the incident. (6) Notwithstanding the requirements in paragraph (1), for incidents under subsection (a)(2) and (3), a school entity, nonpublic school or private school shall notify the following: (i) School employes. (ii) The parents and guardians of the students involved in the incident. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to: (1) Limit a school entity's , nonpublic school's or private school's responsibility to report incidents to local law enforcement prior to providing parents and guardians and school employes with the notification required under subsection (a). (2) In an emergency, supersede or limit a school entity's , nonpublic school's or private school's responsibility to follow the procedure in its disaster response and emergency preparedness plan developed under 35 Pa.C.S. § 7701(g) (relating to duties concerning disaster prevention). (3) Supersede or preempt any provision of a collective bargaining agreement between a school entity , nonpublic school or private school and an employe organization. (d) Except as required to notify the parent or guardian of a student found in possession of a weapon, to provide notice to school employes under subsection (b)(5) or as otherwise permitted, the school entity's , nonpublic school's or private school's notification to parents or guardians or school employes under this section shall not contain personally identifiable information about a student in compliance with 20 U.S.C. § 1232g . (e) For the purposes of this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection: "Nonpublic school." A nonprofit school, other than a public school, within this Commonwealth in which a resident of this Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school attendance requirements of this act and that meets the applicable requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.). "School entity." An area career and technical school, charter school, cyber charter school, regional charter school or school district or intermediate unit . "School property." Any of the following: (1) Public school grounds. (2) A location where a school-sponsored activity is conducted. (3) A conveyance providing transportation to a school entity , nonpublic school, private school or school-sponsored activity. "WEAPON." ANY KNIFE, CUTTING INSTRUMENT, CUTTING TOOL, NUNCHAKU, FIREARM, SHOTGUN, RIFLE AND ANY OTHER TOOL, INSTRUMENT OR IMPLEMENT CAPABLE OF INFLICTING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY. Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. 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 STUDENT SUPPORTS, PROVIDING FOR PARENTAL AND EMPLOYEE NOTIFICATION OF WEAPON INCIDENTS. 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 1303.2-A. PARENTAL AND EMPLOYE NOTIFICATION OF WEAPON INCIDENTS.--(A) A SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL SHALL NOTIFY PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYES OF AN INCIDENT INVOLVING THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON ON ANY SCHOOL PROPERTY THAT CONSTITUTES A VIOLATION OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: (1) SECTION 1317.2. (2) 18 PA.C.S. § 912 (RELATING TO POSSESSION OF WEAPON ON SCHOOL PROPERTY). (3) LOCALLY ESTABLISHED POLICIES OF THE SCHOOL ENTITY'S , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE SCHOOL'S GOVERNING BODY RELATING TO WEAPONS. (B) THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY: (1) UNLESS THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INCIDENT NECESSITATE OTHERWISE, THE NOTIFICATION SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING: (I) THE NOTIFICATION REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) SHALL BE MADE WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR (24) HOURS OF THE INCIDENT. (II) THE NOTIFICATION SHALL BE MADE USING A METHOD OF COMMUNICATION LIKELY TO REACH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYES. (2) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (3), IF AN INCIDENT INVOLVING THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON OCCURS AT A SCHOOL BUILDING, THE SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL MAY LIMIT NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN OR ATTENDING, OR SCHOOL EMPLOYES ASSIGNED TO, THE SCHOOL BUILDING WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. (3) IF THE SCHOOL BUILDING AT WHICH THE INCIDENT OCCURS SHARES A CAMPUS WITH OTHER SCHOOL BUILDINGS, THE SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL SHALL MAKE NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN OR ATTENDING, OR SCHOOL EMPLOYES ASSIGNED TO, ANY BUILDING SITUATED ON THE SHARED CAMPUS. (4) IF AN INCIDENT INVOLVING THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON OCCURS AT A SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITY OR ON A PUBLIC CONVEYANCE PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO OR FROM A SCHOOL OR SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITY, THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY: (I) THE SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL SHALL ENSURE THAT THE NOTIFICATION REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION REACHES THE APPROPRIATE POPULATION OF PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYES. (II) A NOTIFICATION IS NOT REQUIRED IF THE INCIDENT IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITY OR THE STUDENTS OR STAFF INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITY. (5) SUBJECT TO 20 U.S.C. § 1232G (RELATING TO FAMILY EDUCATIONAL AND PRIVACY RIGHTS), A SCHOOL EMPLOYE TO WHOM A STUDENT IN POSSESSION OF A WEAPON UNDER SUBSECTION (A) IS ASSIGNED SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A SCHOOL OFFICIAL WITH LEGITIMATE EDUCATIONAL INTEREST IN THE STUDENT, AND THE SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL SHALL NOTIFY THE SCHOOL EMPLOYE OF THE STUDENT'S IDENTITY AND PORTION OF THE STUDENT'S RECORDS RELATING TO THE INCIDENT. (C) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO: (1) LIMIT A SCHOOL ENTITY'S , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE SCHOOL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT INCIDENTS TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PRIOR TO PROVIDING PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYES WITH THE NOTIFICATION REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (A). (2) IN AN EMERGENCY, SUPERSEDE OR LIMIT A SCHOOL ENTITY'S , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE SCHOOL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE IN ITS DISASTER RESPONSE AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN DEVELOPED UNDER 35 PA.C.S. § 7701(G) (RELATING TO DUTIES CONCERNING DISASTER PREVENTION). (3) SUPERSEDE OR PREEMPT ANY PROVISION OF A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN A SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL AND AN EMPLOYE ORGANIZATION. (D) EXCEPT AS REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF A STUDENT FOUND IN POSSESSION OF A WEAPON, TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO SCHOOL EMPLOYES UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(5) OR AS OTHERWISE PERMITTED, THE SCHOOL ENTITY'S , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE SCHOOL'S NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OR SCHOOL EMPLOYES UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL NOT CONTAIN PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT A STUDENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH 20 U.S.C. § 1232G . (E) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SUBSECTION: "NONPUBLIC SCHOOL." A NONPROFIT SCHOOL, OTHER THAN A PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN THIS COMMONWEALTH, IN WHICH A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMONWEALTH MAY LEGALLY FULFILL THE COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ACT AND THAT MEETS THE APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 (PUBLIC LAW 88-352, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 ET SEQ.). "PRIVATE SCHOOL." A PRIVATE ACADEMIC SCHOOL AS DEFINED IN SECTION 2 OF THE ACT OF JANUARY 28, 1988 (P.L.24, NO.11), KNOWN AS THE PRIVATE ACADEMIC SCHOOLS ACT. "SCHOOL ENTITY." AN AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL, CHARTER SCHOOL, CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL, REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT OR INTERMEDIATE UNIT . "SCHOOL PROPERTY." ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: (1) PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS. (2) A LOCATION WHERE A SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITY IS CONDUCTED. (3) A CONVEYANCE PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO A SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL OR SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITY. SECTION 2. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.
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