June 10-12, 2024

Bills voted on Third Consideration

SB 1213 (PENNYCUICK) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) making it a second-degree misdemeanor to
disseminate an artificially generated sexual depiction of another person, except if the image is of a minor
and will then be a first-degree misdemeanor. Expands the offense for sexual abuse of children to include
the dissemination of artificially generated child sexual material. PASSED 50-0.

Bills voted on Supplemental

SB 1152 (ROBINSON) Amends the Public School Code increasing the annual family income limit for Ready
to Succeed Scholarship Program eligibility from $126,000 to $175,000 and lowering the minimum grade
point average requirement from 3.25 to 2.5. PASSED 47-3.

SB 1153 (PENNYCUICK) Amends the Public School Code requiring PASSHE institutions to provide eligible
nonresident students who were fostered, adopted or placed under legal custodianship after age 16 with a
waiver for tuition and mandatory fees beginning in with the Fall 2024 semester. Permits eligible students
to receive a waiver for up to five years, consecutive or not, or until the individual is 26 years old, whichever
occurs first. PASSED 50-0.

Bills amended on Supplemental

SB 801 (AUMENT) Amends the Public School Code requiring school entities to implement beginning July 1,
2023 a comprehensive evidence-based reading instruction curriculum for students in kindergarten through
third grade that includes screening students for reading deficiencies, interventions, and professional
development for staff. Establishes a grant program within PDE to assist school entities with initial costs
associated with training and other resources necessary to for implementation. Establishes the Reading
Leadership Council composed of experts in structured literacy to advise PDE on the development and
maintenance of its lists of reading instruction curricula for use in school entities, universal reading
screeners, and approved structured literacy intervention approaches. OVER AS AMENDED.

A04828 (AUMENT) Reduces the years of reading teaching experience required to be selected as a
professional coach from five to three years. Requires training in foundational skill and
foundational interventions based on structured literacy for instructors of educator preparation
programs. Requires English as a Second Language educators to be trained in structured literacy.
Includes the Reading Leadership Council to advise PDE and develop a list of structured literacy
professional development training programs. Clarifies students with limited English proficiency,
students with disabilities, and gifted students are subject to reading screenings except if the
assessment would conflict with the educational program, plan, or service agreement provided in
accordance with Federal or State law and regulation. Requires PDE to provide professional
development on reading screening and literacy intervention approaches at no cost to school
entities or educators. Requires parental notification of students in kindergarten who have not
scored proficient on the third reading screening at the end of the year. AGREED TO.

SB 1150 (MARTIN) Amends the Public School Code establishing the Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant
Program for PHEAA to provide up to $5,000 per academic year for up to four years to Pennsylvania
resident students enrolled in an approved course of study at an in-state higher education institution. To
be eligible, students must be enrolled in a program in agriculture, computer science, criminal justice,
business, education, engineering, nursing, trades, or any other in-demand occupation approved by the
PHEAA in consultation with the Independent Fiscal Office. Requires students to reimburse funding received
if they fail to satisfy degree or other requirements; do not begin employment within the Commonwealth in
the approved course of study field within one year of completing a bachelor’s or associate degree; and are
not employed within Pennsylvania in the approved course of study field for 15 months per each academic
year a grant was received. OVER AS AMENDED.

A04870 (MARTIN) Expands approved course of study to include special education, STEM education,
and allied health. Allows students to meet the work requirement through employment in an in demand occupation, not only in the approved-course of study. Requires PASSHE to actively advertise and market the program. Provides scholarship reimbursement to be prorated if a student
partially satisfies the work requirement. AGREED TO.

SB 1151 (MARTIN) Amends the Public School Code establishing the Grow Pennsylvania Merit Scholarship
Program for PASSHE to provide merit scholarships for up to four years for the difference between in-state
and out-of-state tuition to eligible non-Pennsylvanian students enrolled in an approved course of study.
Requires students to have a minimum GPA of 2.5 and be enrolled in a program in agriculture, computer
science, criminal justice, business, education, engineering, nursing, trades, or any other in-demand
occupation approved by the PHEAA in consultation with the Independent Fiscal Office. Requires students
to reimburse funding received if they fail to satisfy degree or other requirements; do not begin
employment within the Commonwealth in the approved course of study field within one year of
completing a bachelor’s or associate degree; or are not employed within Pennsylvania in the approved
course of study field for 15 months per each academic year a grant was received. OVER AS AMENDED.

A04887 (MARTIN) Moves administration of the program under PHEAA in conjunction with PASSHE.
Expands approved course of study to include special education, STEM education, and allied health.
Allows students to meet the work requirement through employment in an in-demand occupation,
not only in the approved-course of study. Provides for scholarship reimbursement to be prorated if
a student partially satisfied the work requirement. AGREED TO.

SB 1154 (AUMENT) Establishes the Performance-based Funding Council Act providing for the appointment
of five voting members and three non-voting members to the Performance-based Funding Council who
will make recommendations by March 31, 2025 for a funding distribution system to State-related
universities that utilizes performance-based metrics and requires the reallocation of between 3% and 5%
of the amount appropriated in FY 2023-2024 in each subsequent fiscal year. OVER AS AMENDED.

A04868 (AUMENT) Adds that performance-based metrics are used to distribute funding in
subsequent years which is more than the amount appropriated in FY 2023-2024 to state-related
universities. Limits the number of specified performance-based metrics the Council must consider
to six. Eliminates the withholding of funds to the state-relate universities if the Council fails to send
its recommendations. Provides that if the Council fails to transmit recommendations, PHEAA in
consultation with PDE, L&I, the Independent Fiscal Office and the State-related universities will
develop a new system that utilizes default metrics to distribute funding to State-related
universities. ADOPTED 29-21.

SB 1155 (ARGALL) Amends the Public School Code establishing the Higher Education Task Force to make
recommendations to the General Assembly regarding PASSHE universities and community colleges.
Specifies recommendations should be related to repurposing underutilized facilities; increasing transfers
from community colleges; shared educational programing; expanding adult education and educational
opportunities in underserved areas; exporting successful educational models for reducing underutilized
facilities; establishing employer incentives to assist employee skills attainment by focusing on career and
technology degree programs in high priority occupations for the next five years; increasing student
enrollment from other states; and expanding dual enrollment opportunities with high schools. Requires
the Task Force to file its recommendations with the Education and Appropriation Committees by April 30,
2026. OVER AS AMENDED.

A04850 (ARGALL) Broadens the scope of the task force to require recommendations for colleges
and universities within the Commonwealth. Places the Task Force within PDE and requires the
department to provide administrative support. ADOPTED 29-21.

Bill on concurrence in House Amendments

SB 126 (MASTRIANO) Amends Title 51 (Military Affairs) to exclude veterans’ benefit payments from
income calculations used to determine eligibility for any Commonwealth program, and extending income
exclusion provisions to an unmarried surviving spouse upon the death of a veteran for any compensation
or payment the surviving spouse is entitled to receive. Excludes unspent veterans’ benefit payments from
income calculations and excludes from the income exemption federally funded programs that require the
Commonwealth to meet Federal criteria. CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENTS 49-0.

Bills Amended on Third Consideration

SB 1099 (MASTRIANO) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety) to reauthorize the Fire Company Grant
Program and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Grant Program until December 31, 2034 and revises
various provisions regarding the program. Makes career fire companies eligible for the consolidation
incentive interest rate reduction for loans from the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Loan Fund. OVER
AS AMENDED.

A04864 (MUTH) Moves the sunset date for the grant program to December 31, 2029. AGREED TO.

SB 1138 (CULVER) Amends the Administrative Code to reauthorize the State Geospatial Coordinating
Board by extending its sunset date to July 31, 2028. Adds the secretary of DCED to the board; replaces the
member designated by the Pennsylvania Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium by a member
designated by Keystone GIS; and removes members designated by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the
Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors and the Pennsylvania Municipal
Authorities Association. OVER AS AMENDED.

A04947 (CAPPELETTI) Clarifies the executive director reports to the secretary of OA for
administrative purposes but will be at the direction and supervision of the board for day-to-day
work. AGREED TO.

SB 1236 (LAUGHLIN) Amends The Landlord and Tenant Act by codifying the common law definition of
“tenant,” clarifying a landlord does not have to provide a notice to quit to a person who is not a tenant.
OVER AS AMENDED.

A04869 (LAUGHLIN) Clarifies a landlord does not have to provide a notice to quit to a person who has
never been a tenant of the real property. AGREED TO.

Bills voted on Third Consideration

SB 464 (REGAN) Amends Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) to allow local full-time police officers in all
cities (other than cities of the first class), boroughs, towns, townships and regional police departments
who have satisfied vesting requirements to purchase up to five years of pension service credit for prior
service at other police departments if an applicable municipality chooses to allow them to do so through
ordinance or resolution. PASSED 49-0.

SB 801 (AUMENT) Amends the Public School Code requiring school entities to implement beginning July 1,
2023 a comprehensive evidence-based reading instruction curriculum for students in kindergarten through
third grade that includes screening students for reading deficiencies, interventions, and professional
development for staff. Establishes a grant program within PDE to assists school entities with initial costs
associated with training and other resources to implement. Requires the establishment of the Reading
Leadership Council composed of experts in structured literacy to advise PDE on the development and
maintenance of its lists of reading instruction curricula for use in school entities, universal reading
screeners, structured literacy professional development training programs, and approved structured
literacy intervention approaches. PASSED 48-1.

SB 1150 (MARTIN) Amends the Public School Code establishing the Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant
Program for PHEAA to provide up to $5,000 per academic year for up to four years to Pennsylvania
resident students enrolled in an approved course of study at an in-state higher education institution. To
be eligible, students must be enrolled in a program in agriculture, computer science, criminal justice,
business, education, engineering, nursing, special education, STEM education, allied health, trades or any
other in-demand occupation approved by the PHEAA in consultation with the Independent Fiscal Office.
Requires students to reimburse grants funding if they fail to satisfy degree or other requirements; do not
begin employment in Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation within one year of completing a bachelor’s
or associate degree; and are not employed within Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation for 15 months
per each academic year a grant was received. PASSED 49-0.

SB 1151 (MARTIN) Amends the Public School Code establishing the Grow Pennsylvania Merit Scholarship
Program for PHEAA in conjunction with PASSHE to provide merit scholarships for up to four years for the
difference between in state and out-of-state tuition to non-Pennsylvanian students enrolled in an
approved eligible course of study. To be eligible, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 and be
enrolled in a program in agriculture, computer science, criminal justice, business, education, engineering,
nursing, special education, STEM education, and allied health, trades, or any other in-demand occupation
approved by the PHEAA in consultation with the Independent Fiscal Office. Requires students to
reimburse funding received if they fail to satisfy degree or other requirements; do not begin employment
in an in-demand occupation in Pennsylvania within one year of completing a bachelor’s or associate
degree; or are not employed within Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation for 15 months per each
academic year a grant was received. PASSED 48-1.

SB 1154 (AUMENT) Establishes the Performance-based Funding Council Act for the development of a new
system to distribute funding to State-related universities. Provides for the appointment of five voting
members and three non-voting members to the Performance-based Funding Council who will make
recommendations by March 31, 2025 for a funding distribution system to State-related universities that
utilizes performance-based metrics to distribute the reallocation of between 3% and 5% of the amount
appropriated in FY 2023-2024 and any funding in subsequent years that is more than the amount
appropriated to the state-related universities in FY 2023-2024. Provides that if the Council fails to transmit
recommendations, PHEAA in consultation with PDE, L&I, the Independent Fiscal Office and the State-related universities will develop a new system that utilizes default metrics to distribute funding to State-related universities. PASSED 28-21.

SB 1155 (ARGALL) Amends the Public School Code establishing the Higher Education Task Force to make
recommendations to the General Assembly regarding colleges and universities within the Commonwealth.
Specifies recommendations should be related to repurposing underutilized facilities; increasing transfers
from community colleges; shared educational programing; expanding adult education and educational
opportunities in underserved areas; exporting successful educational models for reducing underutilized
facilities; establishing employer incentives to assist employee skills attainment by focusing on career and
technology degree programs in high priority occupations for the next five years; increasing student
enrollment from other states; and expanding dual enrollment opportunities with high schools. Requires
the Task Force to file its recommendations with the Education and Appropriation Committees by April 30,
2026. PASSED 28-21.

Bills voted on Third Consideration

SB 186 (J. WARD) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) by updating the
term “child pornography” to the term “child sexual abuse material.” PASSED 48-0.

SB 187 (J. WARD) Amends the Child Internet Protection Act, to update the term “child pornography” to
the term “child sexual abuse material.” PASSED 48-0.

SB 761 (BARTOLOTTA) Amends the Workforce Development Act requiring the Center for Workforce
Information and Analysis (CWIA) within L&I to develop a data dashboard and disseminate information to
Local Workforce Development Boards to assist them in performance accountability and programs
evaluation. Specifies the dashboard include information from the new hire database, unemployment
compensation (UC) claimant data and UC wage records, sortable by various criteria including location,
occupation, industry and demographic characteristics. Provides for allowable uses of the UC data and
requires a written agreement between L&I and each LWDB. PASSED 48-0.

SB 1099 (MASTRIANO) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety) to reauthorize the Fire Company Grant
Program and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Grant Program until December 31, 2029 and revises
various provisions regarding the program. Makes career fire companies eligible for the consolidation
incentive interest rate reduction for loans from the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Loan Fund.
PASSED 48-0.

SB 1138 (CULVER) Amends the Administrative Code extending the sunset date of the State Geospatial
Coordinating Board to July 31, 2028. Adds the secretary of DCED to the board; replaces the member
designated by the Pennsylvania Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium by a member
designated by Keystone GIS; and removes members designated by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the
Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors and the Pennsylvania Municipal
Authorities Association. PASSED 48-0.

SB 1236 (LAUGHLIN) Amends The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 codifying the common law definition
of “tenant,” and clarifying a landlord does not have to provide a notice to quit to a person who is not, nor
ever has been, a tenant for of the real property. PASSED 48-0.

HB 1333 (DAWKINS) Amends the Stuffed Toy Manufacturing Act allowing the use of recycled materials in
stuffed toys sold within the Commonwealth. Requires each stuffed toy to have a tag with the
manufacturer or importer registration number and notice of the type of material used, including if it is
new, recycled or a mix. Prohibits manufacturers or importers from engaging in child labor, forced labor, or
slave labor practices. Subjects enforcement of statutory and regulatory violations through administrative
proceedings, rather than before a district justice. PASSED 47-1.