PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1196

PRINTER'S NO. 1728

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

971

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY COLEMAN, TARTAGLIONE, ARGALL, DUSH AND COLLETT,

OCTOBER 31, 2023

SENATOR ARGALL, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 12, 2024

providing for parental and employee notification of weapon

incidents.

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 1303.2-A. Parental and Employe Notification of

Weapon Incidents.--(a) A school entity shall notify parents and

guardians and school employes of an incident involving the

(3) A school board's locally established policies relating

to weapons.

(3) LOCALLY ESTABLISHED POLICIES OF A SCHOOL ENTITY'S

GOVERNING BODY RELATING TO WEAPONS.

(b) The following shall apply:

(1) Unless the circumstances of the incident necessitate

otherwise, the notification shall be made in accordance with the

following:

(i) The notification required under subsection (a) shall be

made within twenty-four (24) hours of the incident.

(ii) The notification shall be made using a method of

attending, or school employes assigned to, the school building

where the incident occurred.

(3) IF THE SCHOOL BUILDING AT WHICH THE INCIDENT OCCURS

SHARES A CAMPUS WITH OTHER SCHOOL BUILDINGS, THE SCHOOL ENTITY

SHALL MAKE NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS

ENROLLED IN OR ATTENDING, OR SCHOOL EMPLOYES ASSIGNED TO, ANY

BUILDING SITUATED ON THE SHARED CAMPUS.

(3) (4) If an incident involving the possession of a weapon

occurs at a school-sponsored activity or on a public conveyance

providing transportation to or from a school or school-sponsored

of parents and guardians and school employes.

(ii) A notification is not required if the incident is not

directly related to the school-sponsored activity or the

students or staff involved in the activity.

(5) SUBJECT TO 20 U.S.C. § 1232G (RELATING TO FAMILY

EDUCATIONAL AND PRIVACY RIGHTS), A SCHOOL EMPLOYE TO WHOM A

STUDENT IN POSSESSION OF A WEAPON UNDER SUBSECTION (A) IS

ASSIGNED SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A SCHOOL OFFICIAL WITH LEGITIMATE

EDUCATIONAL INTEREST IN THE STUDENT, AND THE SCHOOL ENTITY SHALL

NOTIFY THE SCHOOL EMPLOYE OF THE STUDENT'S IDENTITY AND PORTION

OF THE STUDENT'S RECORDS RELATING TO THE INCIDENT.

responsibility to follow the procedure in its disaster response

and emergency preparedness plan developed under 35 Pa.C.S. §

7701(g) (relating to duties concerning disaster prevention).

(3) Supersede or preempt any provision of a collective

bargaining agreement between a school entity and an employe

organization.

(d) Except as required to notify the parent or guardian of a

student found to be in possession of a weapon, or TO PROVIDE

NOTICE TO SCHOOL EMPLOYES UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(5) OR AS

otherwise permitted, the school entity's notification to parents

(e) For the purposes of this section, the term "school

property" shall mean any of the following:

(1) Any public school grounds.

(2) Any school-sponsored activity.

(3) Any conveyance providing transportation to a school

entity or school-sponsored activity.

(E) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS

AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS

SUBSECTION:

"SCHOOL ENTITY." AN AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL,

CHARTER SCHOOL, CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL, NONPUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.