This bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to allow students with asthma or severe allergies to possess and self-administer their prescribed asthma medications (including inhalers) and epinephrine auto-injectors at school. Schools must create written policies requiring students to demonstrate self-administration capability and notify the school nurse after use, while ensuring medications are stored safely and accessible only to authorized students. The bill also permits trained school staff, including bus drivers and crossing guards, to administer epinephrine auto-injectors in emergencies for students experiencing allergic reactions or asthma attacks. These changes aim to improve student safety by ensuring timely access to life-saving medications during school hours.
SB 375 repeals a requirement that schools provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for staff every three years. Instead, it mandates that Pennsylvania schools obtain and maintain automated external defibrillators (AEDs) - heart rhythm shock devices - by requiring 2.5% of annual school safety funding to be used for purchasing AEDs and related training. The bill establishes an AED program requiring school staff to complete AED and CPR training through approved organizations like the American Heart Association, and it defines AEDs as portable devices that restore heart rhythm during cardiac arrest. This law directly affects all public and nonpublic schools in Pennsylvania, shifting focus from mandatory staff CPR training to AED availability and use.
HB 1077 establishes the Commission on Children's Vision within Pennsylvania's Department of Education and Department of Health to address children's vision care needs. The commission will develop statewide plans and low-cost programs for vision screenings, follow-up exams, and glasses for students who need them, while coordinating with local vision care providers. It must issue annual reports by December 31 detailing program achievements, trends in unmet vision care needs, and recommendations for improving access. The commission, composed of state education/health officials and 12 vision care professionals, will not receive compensation but will receive administrative support from the departments. This bill directly affects Pennsylvania schoolchildren requiring vision care and the state departments responsible for health and education services.
SB 1014 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code of 1949 to require public schools to adopt a "bell-to-bell phone-free policy" during the entire school day. This policy directly affects all public K-12 schools and students by prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices during instructional time. The key provision mandates that schools establish and enforce this policy, though the bill does not specify exemptions or implementation details. The legislation focuses on reducing distractions in classrooms by limiting student phone access from the start to the end of the school day. It is currently pending in the Education committee.
This bill is a House Resolution that formally recognizes April 2026 as "National Poetry Month" within Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or change existing policies, but rather serves as an official statement of support for poetry and the literary arts. The resolution acknowledges the cultural and educational value of poetry, noting its role in education and community engagement. Sponsored by multiple legislators, it aims to honor the tradition of celebrating poetry during this designated month.
This resolution designates July 31, 2025, as "Intern Day" in Pennsylvania to recognize the value of internships for students, educational institutions, and employers. It aims to raise awareness about work-based learning opportunities that connect classroom education with workplace skills, aligning with national observances. The bill does not create new laws or funding but symbolically highlights Pennsylvania’s commitment to supporting internships as part of economic development. It directly affects students seeking career experience, career and technical centers, and businesses offering internships.
HB 1935 requires individuals convicted of terroristic threats to pay restitution for costs incurred during evacuations, including emergency response, transportation, and employee wages for first responders. It also mandates a sentencing enhancement for threats targeting schools or institutions of higher education, which the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing must consider. The bill defines "school entity" to include public, charter, private, and cyber charter schools, and "institution of higher education" to cover specific universities like Penn State, Pitt, Temple, and others. These changes directly affect offenders who make terroristic threats in educational settings, holding them financially accountable for the costs their actions trigger.
HB 1768 establishes four new grant programs to support Pennsylvania's local food system. It provides incentives for schools and institutions to purchase local food (Local Food Purchasing Incentive Grant), offers financial assistance to farmers for production improvements (Keystone Producer Grant), supports food distribution networks (Keystone Assistance Grant), and funds school meal programs sourcing from local farms (Keystone Fresh Farm to School Account). The Department of Agriculture and Department of Education would administer these programs and manage the grant allocations. The bill directly affects Pennsylvania farmers, schools, food distributors, and local food businesses by creating new funding mechanisms to strengthen regional food systems.
HB 1405 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to create new pathways for veterans to become career and technical teachers in public schools. It allows veterans who served at least 8,000 hours (four years full-time) in an occupation they will teach to qualify for a Career and Technical Intern Certificate or Career and Technical Instructional I Certificate, bypassing some standard certification requirements. The bill specifically defines "veteran" as someone discharged under honorable conditions from U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard or reserves. This directly affects veterans seeking teaching roles in career and technical education programs across Pennsylvania's public schools.
HB 1407 updates Pennsylvania's teacher certification rules, effective July 1, 2027. It establishes new grade spans for certificates: "Primary" (pre-K through grade 6), "Secondary" (grades 7-12), and "Specialized" (pre-K through grade 12). Current teachers with early childhood certificates can add grades 5-6 by passing an assessment or earning continuing education credits, while those with elementary/middle certificates can expand to grades 7-12 using similar pathways. The bill also requires teacher preparation programs to adjust coursework and field placements for early childhood certification, and abrogates outdated regulations inconsistent with these changes.
