PRINTER'S NO. 3588
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2550
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY WEBSTER, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN, KUZMA, PROBST,
GILLEN, BRENNAN, SANCHEZ, BOROWSKI, DELLOSO, CIRESI, FRANKEL,
SCHLOSSBERG AND NEILSON, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024
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 terms and courses of study,
further providing for Holocaust, genocide and human rights
violations instruction.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1554(a)(1) and (f)(1) introductory
paragraph and (2) of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),
known as the Public School Code of 1949, are amended to read:
Section 1554. Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
Violations Instruction.--(a) (1) Beginning with school year
[2015-2016] 2025-2026, each school entity [may] shall offer
instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
violations to students. The instruction shall equate to at least
seven (7) hours within a school year and be integrated within
the social studies and language arts courses of study required
in accordance with State Board of Education regulations.
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Instruction may also be integrated into other appropriate
courses of study.
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(f) The State Board of Education shall:
(1) Conduct a study regarding the manner in which
instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
violations is offered by school entities in this Commonwealth.
In conducting the study, the State Board of Education shall
request that each school entity provide the State Board of
Education with information concerning whether the school entity
offers such instruction and the manner in which such instruction
is offered. Each school entity shall provide information to the
State Board of Education in response to a request under this
paragraph. Following the [2016-2017] 2026-2027 school year, but
not later than November 30, [2017] 2027, the State Board of
Education shall issue a report to the Governor, the Secretary of
Education, the Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Education
Committee of the Senate and the Chairman and Minority Chairman
of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives
addressing the following:
* * *
(2) Adopt a regulation, pursuant to the act of June 25, 1982
(P.L.633, No.181), known as the "Regulatory Review Act," to
require school entities to offer instruction in the Holocaust,
genocide and human rights violations that is consistent with
subsections (a) and (b)[, if the study conducted by the State
Board of Education under paragraph (1) demonstrates that less
than ninety percent of the school entities are offering
instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
violations consistent with subsections (a) and (b)].
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* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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