An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in the State System of Higher Education, providing for educational opportunities for foster and adopted children.
SB 432 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to create new educational pathways for foster and adopted children attending state universities and colleges. The bill requires public higher education institutions to develop and implement specific support programs, including academic advising and financial aid coordination, for eligible students who were in foster care or adopted. It directly affects current and future foster youth and adopted children pursuing higher education within Pennsylvania's public university system. Key provisions establish standardized support mechanisms to improve access and retention for this population in state-funded institutions.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Oct 2025
Senate Passage
Oct 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 17, 2025
Last action Oct 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Printer's No. PN0935
→
Printer's No. PN1209
·
5 edits
MODERATE
This bill update significantly restricts eligibility for tuition waivers for foster youth by requiring them to enroll full-time in in-person undergraduate courses for the first time, rather than just enrolling in any undergraduate course. It also extends the effective date of the act from 60 days to fall 2027 and adds new requirements for institutions to verify student status and report data to additional state committees.
Scope change
The bill's scope was narrowed to apply only to full-time, in-person undergraduate students enrolling for the first time, excluding part-time, online, or continuing students.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility for the fostering independence waiver now requires students to enroll full-time in in-person undergraduate courses for the first time, removing previous allowances for part-time or online enrollment.
TIMELINE
The effective date of the act was delayed from 60 days to the fall 2027 semester.
REQUIREMENT
New requirements mandate that institutions independently verify foster care eligibility or access other state records and report student data to the Senate and House Education Committees.
Institutions are now required to develop uniform guidelines for applying for and verifying the fostering independence waiver.
REPORTING
Reporting deadlines were changed to December 31, 2028, and annually thereafter, with expanded recipients of the report.
Floor votes · Senate Oct 8, 2025
How they voted
46–3
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 50
Oct 8, 2025
D
Democratic23
95% Yea
R
Republican27
88% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
11
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Amendments
2
Oct 8, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education
lower
Oct 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
upper
Oct 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended on third consideration
upper
Jun 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Re-reported as committed
upper
Jun 11, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to Appropriations
upper
Jun 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported as amended
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education
upper
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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