PRINTER'S NO. 588
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
649
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY KINSEY, KIM, HILL-EVANS, MADDEN, R. MACKENZIE,
HOHENSTEIN, SANCHEZ, M. MACKENZIE, PARKER, FLEMING AND
HANBIDGE, MARCH 21, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 21, 2023
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 safe schools, providing for
parental 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 1314-A. Parental Notification.--(a) Each school
entity shall adopt a policy and procedure for notification, in a
timely manner, of all parents, guardians or custodial parents of
students in the school entity who:
(1) Are involved in incidents which are required to be
reported in the school safety report submitted to the Department
of Education.
(2) Incur other serious injuries on school property, on the
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school bus or at a school activity.
(b) Parents, guardians or custodial parents may be notified
in person, by telephone, by email, by text message or by
certified mail. A school entity shall make a reasonable effort
to notify a parent, guardian or custodial parent in the
preferred manner indicated on the contact information of the
parent, guardian or custodial parent. The preferred method of
notification must be documented. In the event of a school or
districtwide emergency, the school entity may use alternative
methods to notify parents, guardians or custodial parents.
(c) Each school entity must maintain current contact
information for each parent, guardian or custodial parent. The
contact information must allow parents, guardians and custodial
parents to identify a preferred method of contact if parental
notification is required.
(d) Each school entity shall provide training regarding the
requirements of this section to all staff who come into contact
with children. The training shall include recognizing incidents
that trigger the notification requirement, the school entity's
policy and procedure for notification and the recordkeeping and
reporting requirements. Training required under this section may
be incorporated with other training and in-service activities of
the school entity.
(e) All incidents that are required to be reported under
section 1303-A(b) shall be subject to the requirements of this
section.
(f) The Secretary of Education may withhold State payments
to any school entity that fails to comply with this section.
(g) As used in this section, the term "parents, guardians or
custodial parents of students" shall mean parents, guardians or
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custodial parents of students who are either perpetrators or
victims of incidents which:
(1) Are required to be reported in the school safety report
submitted to the Department of Education.
(2) Result in any other injuries occurring on school
property, the school bus or at a school activity.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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