HB 1663 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, establishing the Statewide Children's Literacy Program and the Children's Literacy Program of Pennsylvania Restricted Account; and imposing duties on the Department of Education.

HB 1663 establishes Pennsylvania's Statewide Imagination Library Program under the Public School Code of 1949, creating a dedicated funding account managed by the Department of Education. The bill directly affects Pennsylvania children, particularly those from birth through age five, by providing free books through the program. Key provisions require the Department of Education to administer the program and manage the Imagination Library of Pennsylvania Restricted Account for funding. The bill is currently under review in the Children & Youth committee after being removed from the legislative table in November 2025.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2025
Committee Review
Dec 2025
House Passage
Dec 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jun 25, 2025 Last action Dec 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN2710 Printer's No. PN2720 · 6 edits
MODERATE
The bill was renamed from the 'Imagination Library' to the 'Children's Literacy Program' to remove specific brand associations and broaden its scope. Key changes include adding a requirement for local partners to provide families with information on obtaining library cards, clarifying that the Department of Education can waive matching funds for oversight costs, and updating reporting requirements to include the names of local partners.
Scope change
The program's scope was broadened by removing the specific 'Dolly Parton's Imagination Library' branding and expanding the definition of eligible local partners to include any Pennsylvania-based partner of a qualified nonprofit.
DEFINITION

Renamed the program from 'Imagination Library' to 'Children's Literacy Program' and updated related terms like 'Account' and 'Program Partner' to remove specific brand references.

Updated the definition of 'Qualified local entity' to refer to a 'Pennsylvania-based partner' rather than specifically a 'Dolly Parton's Imagination Library' partner.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement for local entities to provide families with information on how to obtain a library card from the local library when a child is registered.

Replaced references to 'Dolly Parton's Imagination Library' with 'qualified local entities' in the duties of the Department of Education.

FISCAL

Clarified that the Department of Education may waive the dollar-for-dollar match requirement not only for local entities but also to cover the department's own oversight costs.

REPORTING

Updated the annual report requirements to ask for the names of qualified local entities instead of just the number of programs, and removed a specific 2026 deadline in favor of a recurring annual schedule.

Floor votes · House Dec 16, 2025

How they voted

2030
Passed
Total votes 203
Dec 16, 2025
D Democratic102
102 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican101
101 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Amendments
1
Dec 22, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education
upper
Dec 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
lower
Dec 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as amended
lower
Dec 16, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (203-0)
house
Dec 16, 2025
Committee
Re-committed to Appropriations
lower
Oct 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported as committed
lower
Jun 25, 2025
Committee
Referred to Children & Youth
lower
1 primary · 20 co-sponsors

Sponsors