PRINTER'S NO. 1681
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1489
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY E. NELSON, MOUL, MIHALEK, M. MACKENZIE, MAJOR,
IRVIN, WARNER, KAUFFMAN, MUSTELLO, SHUSTERMAN, COOPER,
DIAMOND, RADER, COOK, BERNSTINE, HAMM, FINK, STRUZZI, KEEFER,
GREGORY AND EMRICK, JUNE 22, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 22, 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 Ready-to-Succeed Scholarship,
further providing for agency; and adding provisions relating
to funding for higher education by providing for limitation
on funding for University of Pittsburgh, for limitations on
funding for supplemental support to the agency and the State
System of Higher Education and for study for divestiture of
University of Pittsburgh.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2204-B(b)(1) of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
amended July 8, 2022 (P.L.620, No.55), is amended to read:
Section 2204-B. Agency.
* * *
(b) Eligibility criteria.--The eligibility criteria
developed for the receipt of a scholarship under subsection (a)
shall, at a minimum, require all of the following:
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(1) Total annual household income not to exceed
[$126,000.] an amount established by the agency, which amount
may not exceed $200,000 during the first award year in which
the amount may be so established. With each new award year,
the agency may annually adjust the total annual household
income threshold under this paragraph based on the agency's
available resources and to reflect any upward changes in the
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland area. The
agency shall transmit annually a notice that includes the
amount established or adjusted under this paragraph to the
Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
* * *
Section 2. The act is amended by adding an article to read:
ARTICLE XXII-C
HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING
Section 2201-C. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
"Committee." The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.
"Ready-to-Succeed Scholarship Program." The program
established under Article XXII-B.
"State grant." A grant or scholarship awarded under the act
of January 25, 1966 (1965 P.L.1546, No.541), referred to as the
Higher Education Scholarship Law.
"State System of Higher Education." The State System of
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Higher Education established under Article XX-A.
"Targeted Industry Cluster Certificate Scholarship Program."
The program established under section 2599.4.
"University of Pittsburgh." The university, including its
regional campuses, established under the act of July 28, 1966
(3rd Sp.Sess., P.L.87, No.3), known as the University of
Pittsburgh--Commonwealth Act.
Section 2202-C. Limitation on funding to University of
Pittsburgh.
(a) General rule.--The University of Pittsburgh may not
receive an appropriation from the Commonwealth that exceeds the
following amounts:
(1) For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed $151,507,000.
(2) For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed $113,630,000.
(3) For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed $75,754,000.
(4) For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed $37,877,000.
(b) Exception.--Subsection (a) does not apply to an
appropriation from the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for rural education outreach.
Section 2203-C. Limitation on funding for supplemental support.
(a) Agency funding.--The agency may not receive an
appropriation from the Commonwealth for the purpose of
supplemental support that exceeds the following amounts:
(1) For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
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Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
appropriated for rural education outreach.
(2) For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
appropriated for rural education outreach.
(3) For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
appropriated for rural education outreach.
(4) For the 2027-2028 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
appropriated for rural education outreach.
(b) Funding for State System of Higher Education.--The State
System of Higher Education may not receive an appropriation from
the Commonwealth for supplemental support that exceeds the
following amounts:
(1) For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
appropriated for rural education outreach.
(2) For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
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appropriated for rural education outreach.
(3) For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
appropriated for rural education outreach.
(4) For the 2027-2028 fiscal year, the amount may not
exceed 50% of the difference between $151,507,000 and the
amount appropriated by the Commonwealth to the University of
Pittsburgh for that fiscal year, excluding any amount
appropriated for rural education outreach.
(c) Allocation by agency.--The agency shall distribute money
appropriated by the Commonwealth on a pro rata basis to the
State grant, Ready-to-Succeed Scholarship Program and Targeted
Industry Cluster Certificate Scholarship Program.
(d) Supplement not supplant.--Money allocated under this
section shall be used to supplement and not supplant existing
funding.
Section 2204-C. Study for divestiture of University of
Pittsburgh.
(a) Duty to conduct study.--The committee shall conduct a
study to establish a process for removing the State-related
designation from the University of Pittsburgh. The study shall
include the following:
(1) A process to return the University of Pittsburgh to
a status as a private institution of higher education within
five years of the effective date of this section.
(2) A process for the phased removal of Commonwealth-
appointed Board of Trustees members from the board of the
University of Pittsburgh.
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(3) Identifying the existing Commonwealth statutes that
would need to be amended or repealed in order to remove the
State-related status of the University of Pittsburgh.
(4) Identifying all Commonwealth-owned property and
buildings on the University of Pittsburgh's campuses and a
recommendation on the transfer or sale of that property to
the University of Pittsburgh.
(5) An assessment of any potential fiscal impact
incurred by the University of Pittsburgh due to the loss of
its State-related status.
(b) Report to General Assembly.--The committee shall submit
a final report with recommendations to the General Assembly no
later than May 1, 2024, for review and any appropriate
legislative action.
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023, or
immediately, whichever is later.
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