PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 799 PRINTER'S NO. 878
No. 672 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY RAFFERTY, ERICKSON, FERLO, STACK AND WONDERLING,
MAY 10, 2005
SENATOR RHOADES, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 8, 2005
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," further providing for annual budget;
6 prescribing a penalty; and making editorial changes.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 687(a) of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
11 amended to read:
12 Section 687. Annual Budget; Additional or Increased
13 Appropriations; Transfer of Funds.--(a) (1) The board of
14 school directors of each school district of the second, third,
15 or fourth class shall, annually, at least thirty (30) days prior
16 to the adoption of the annual budget, prepare a proposed budget
17 of the amount of funds that will be required by the school
18 district in its several departments for the following fiscal
19 year. Such proposed budget shall be prepared on a uniform form,
1 prepared and furnished by the Department of [Public Instruction] <--
2 Education, and shall be apportioned to the several classes of
3 expenditures of the district as the board of school directors
4 thereof may determine.] EDUCATION. THE UNIFORM FORM SHALL <--
5 REQUIRE IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC FUNCTION, SUBFUNCTION AND
6 MAJOR OBJECT OF EXPENDITURE. ON THE DATE OF ADOPTION OF THE
7 PROPOSED BUDGET REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION, THE PRESIDENT OF
8 THE BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS SHALL CERTIFY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
9 EDUCATION THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAS BEEN PREPARED, PRESENTED
10 AND WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION USING THE
11 UNIFORM FORM PREPARED AND FURNISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
12 EDUCATION. THE CERTIFICATION SHALL BE IN A FORM AND MANNER AS
13 REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. FINAL ACTION SHALL NOT
14 BE TAKEN ON ANY PROPOSED BUDGET THAT HAS NOT BEEN PREPARED,
15 PRESENTED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION USING THE
16 UNIFORM FORM PREPARED AND FURNISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
17 EDUCATION. Final action shall not be taken on any proposed
18 budget[,] in which the estimated expenditures exceed two
19 thousand dollars ($2000)[,] until after ten (10) days' public
20 notice. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent any
21 school district[,] whose total estimated expenditures do not
22 exceed two thousand dollars ($2000)[,] from holding a public
23 hearing.
24 (2) (i) The proposed budget in the format, ON THE UNIFORM <--
25 FORM required by the Department of Education and all line item <--
26 expenditures, shall be printed[,] or otherwise made available <--
27 for public inspection and duplication to all persons [who may <--
28 interest themselves,] AND SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR <--
29 DUPLICATION TO ANY PERSON, ON REQUEST, at least twenty (20) days
30 prior to the date set for the adoption of the budget.
20050S0672B0878 - 2 -
1 (ii) Fees for duplication under this paragraph by
2 photocopying, printing from electronic media or microfilm,
3 copying onto electronic media, transmission by facsimile or
4 other electronic means and other means of duplication must be
5 reasonable and based on prevailing fees for comparable
6 duplication services provided by local business entities.
7 (iii) An agency or public official who violates this <--
8 paragraph with the intent and purpose of violating this
9 paragraph commits a summary offense subject to prosecution by
10 the Attorney General or the appropriate district attorney and
11 shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less
12 than fifty dollars ($50) per day nor more than three hundred
13 dollars ($300) per day, plus costs of prosecution.
14 * * *
15 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
A17L24JAM/20050S0672B0878 - 3 -