PRINTER'S NO. 2058

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1727

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY SCIALABBA, M. MACKENZIE, R. MACKENZIE, HAMM,

LEADBETER, ROWE, MARCELL, BERNSTINE, STAMBAUGH, ECKER, GILLEN

AND KEEFER, SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

laws relating thereto," in duties and powers of boards of

school directors, providing for parental notification and

permission for participation in clubs and organizations.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known

as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a

section to read:

Section 511.1. Parental Notification and Permission for

Participation in Clubs and Organizations.-- (a) In addition to

commonly used for other communications to parents or legal

guardians and shall be posted on the school entity's publicly

accessible Internet website at least two weeks prior to the

start of the school year or, for a club or organization that is

created after the start of the school year, at least two weeks

prior to the first meeting or activity of the club or

organization.

(b) The following information shall be provided to students

and parents or legal guardians of students for a club or

organization:

activities of the club or organization.

(4) The name of the faculty advisor for the club or

organization.

(5) A description of past or planned meetings and

activities, including a description of meetings and activities

during the immediately preceding school year and a description

of meetings and activities planned for the current or upcoming

school year with sufficient detail to clearly describe the

meetings and activities.

(6) A statement that a parent or legal guardian has the

private right of action against the governing board of a school

entity for wrongful exclusion.

(c) (1) The governing board of a school entity may not

permit a student to participate in a club or organization

without specific written permission from the parent or legal

guardian of the student for each club or organization.

(2) The parent or legal guardian may, at any time, withdraw

permission in writing. Unless otherwise specified in writing,

the withdrawal of permission shall take effect immediately upon

delivery to a school official.

or organization. The consent or withdrawal form shall not be

drafted or presented in a manner that makes it more complicated

to withhold or revoke consent than it is to grant consent.

(d) For a club or organization created after the start of

the school year, the governing board of a school entity may

accept written permission from a parent or legal guardian of a

student only after the information required by subsection (b)

has been provided in advance, as required by subsection (a), to

the parents or legal guardians of all enrolled students.

(e) The meetings and activities of a club or organization

organization in which the student participates except for good

cause which shall be documented by the governing board of the

school entity and provided in writing to the parent or legal

guardian.

(g) A parent or legal guardian of a student who has given

permission in accordance with this section for the student to

participate in a club or organization and who reasonably

believes that the parent or legal guardian has been denied

attendance at the meeting or activity without good cause has a

private right of action against the governing body of the school

purpose and which group is under the direct sponsorship,

direction and control of the school entity. The term includes an

activity reasonably related to the group, but does not include

an event held under the sponsorship of a school entity that

involves its students in competition between individuals or

groups representing two or more school entities. The term shall

include cheerleading, band and chorus.

"Governing board" shall mean the board of directors or board

of trustees of a school entity.

"School entity" shall mean a school district, intermediate