SB 452 establishes the "Safe Path Restricted Account" within Pennsylvania's General Fund, transferring $50 million for fiscal year 2025-2026. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will use these funds to award grants to political subdivisions and nonprofits operating safe passage programs. These programs aim to improve safety for youth and adults traveling to and from schools and community centers. Priority is given to applicants in areas with high gun violence rates, as determined by the Commission.
HB 2072 establishes a tuition waiver program for Native American students attending Pennsylvania colleges. It requires public and private colleges to waive tuition for students who are active members of tribes listed by the state (including tribes historically connected to Pennsylvania or the Carlisle Indian School). To qualify, students must apply to a college, enroll full- or part-time, and prove tribe membership through the state's published list. Colleges must report participation and retention data annually to the Department of Education. This program directly affects Native American students seeking higher education in Pennsylvania.
HB 1078 updates Pennsylvania's school health requirements to strengthen vision screening and eye health examinations for students. It mandates annual vision screenings by trained school personnel for all school-aged children, with comprehensive eye exams by licensed professionals required if screenings fail. The bill specifies that students must receive eye health exams upon school admission, in fourth grade, and eighth grade, and adds requirements for exams related to special education evaluations. Schools must notify parents of failed screenings and provide resources, but are not responsible for covering exam costs or treatment. This directly affects all public and nonpublic school students in Pennsylvania.
HB 339 requires Pennsylvania public schools (including districts, charter schools, and cyber charters) and eligible nonpublic schools to implement daily mental health check-ins for all kindergarten through 12th-grade students starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill mandates school entities to adopt policies identifying students experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, or at risk of suicide/self-harm based on their check-in responses. The state Department of Education must create and provide a model policy to all schools upon request. This policy change directly affects all K-12 students and school staff in Pennsylvania's public and qualifying nonpublic schools.
HB 1279 requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities, as well as private licensed schools, to implement evidence-based education programs on sexual misconduct (including consent, bystander intervention, and risk prevention) for all students and staff. The bill mandates staff training, establishes confidential resource advisors for victims, and requires institutions to create online reporting systems and conduct annual climate surveys. It also sets data reporting requirements for schools to track incidents, creates a Task Force on Postsecondary Sexual Misconduct, and provides academic waivers for student victims to avoid penalties related to incidents. These provisions aim to standardize prevention, response, and support across institutions.
SB 760 requires all Pennsylvania public, charter, and private school buildings to test for radon gas starting in the 2026-2027 school year. If radon levels reach or exceed 4 picocuries per liter, schools must implement mitigation (like sealing foundations or installing vents) and retest until levels drop below that threshold. New schools must use radon-resistant construction techniques, and all testing/mitigation must be performed by certified professionals following specific standards. Results must be reported to school boards, parents' groups, teachers' unions, and state agencies within 60 days.
HB 1437 creates a temporary sales tax exemption in Pennsylvania for specific personal items during an annual window. It excludes clothing accessories, footwear, school supplies, computers/software, and certain bedding items from sales tax when purchased by individuals for nonbusiness use during the first Friday in August through the following Sunday. The Department of Revenue must post a list of qualifying items online by July 10 each year. This policy change directly affects individual consumers shopping for these items during the defined exclusion period.
SB 127 changes Pennsylvania's Public School Code to make Holocaust, genocide, and human rights violations education mandatory for all schools starting in the 2026-2027 school year. It requires schools to integrate this instruction into required social studies and language arts courses, replacing the previous voluntary approach. The bill mandates that curriculum guidelines and teacher training programs be developed by the Department of Education to support this requirement. This affects all public school districts, charter schools, and private schools within Pennsylvania.
SB 180 replaces Pennsylvania's existing school lunch and breakfast reimbursement system with a Universal School Meal Program, requiring all public schools to provide meals to any student who requests one, regardless of their ability to pay or outstanding meal debt. The bill prohibits schools from stigmatizing students (e.g., via wristbands), denying activities or diplomas for unpaid meals, using collections agencies, or imposing penalties like interest or suspensions for meal debt. It also mandates schools to offer assistance with meal program applications to families in debt and directs communications about unpaid meals to parents/guardians instead of students. The program is funded through a new Universal School Meal Fund and an interfund transfer, eliminating the previous reimbursement structure.
HB 748 requires all Pennsylvania public and charter schools (including cyber schools) to include litter prevention education in science classes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill mandates that this instruction be integrated into existing science curricula using materials developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. It focuses on teaching students about making environmentally sound choices to preserve the state's natural beauty. The law applies to all school entities defined in the Public School Code and takes effect 60 days after enactment.
