An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in student supports, providing for parental and employee notification of weapon incidents.

HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 199, 752, 764,
1009 PRINTER'S NO. 1030
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 246
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY COLEMAN, TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, COSTA, STEFANO,
DUSH, ARGALL AND MASTRIANO, FEBRUARY 13, 2025
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 30, 2025
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 student supports, providing for
parental and employee notification of certain 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
Certain Incidents.--(a) A school entity , nonpublic school or
private school shall notify parents and guardians and school
employes of certain incidents involving:
(1) The possession of a weapon on any school property that
constitutes a violation of one of the following:
(i) Section 1317.2.
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(ii) 18 Pa.C.S. § 912 (relating to possession of weapon on
school property).
(iii) Locally established policies of the school entity's ,
nonpublic school's or private school's governing body relating
to weapons.
(2) A A SECOND AND EACH SUBSEQUENT violation of a school
entity's, nonpublic school's or private school's bullying policy
BY A STUDENT . For purposes of this paragraph, the term
"bullying" shall have the same meaning as in section 1303.1-
A(e).
(3) An incident that constitutes harassment under 18 Pa.C.S.
§ 2709 (relating to harassment).
(4) An incident that involves serious bodily injury.
(5) An incident that involves INTENTIONAL AND SIGNIFICANT
damage to school property , THE COST OF WHICH TO REPAIR IS
GREATER THAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000) .
(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
communication likely to reach parents and guardians and school
employes.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), if an incident
involves the possession of a weapon or INTENTIONAL AND
SIGNIFICANT damage to school property , THE COST OF WHICH TO
REPAIR IS IN EXCESS OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1,000), and occurs
at a school building, the school entity , nonpublic school or
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private school may limit notification to parents and guardians
of students enrolled in or 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 ,
nonpublic school or private school 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.
(4) If an incident involves the possession of a weapon or
INTENTIONAL AND SIGNIFICANT damage to school property , THE COST
OF WHICH TO REPAIR IS IN EXCESS OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
($1,000), and occurs at a school-sponsored activity or on a
public conveyance providing transportation to or from a school
or school-sponsored activity, the following shall apply:
(i) The school entity , nonpublic school or private school
shall ensure that the notification required under this section
reaches the appropriate population 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 ,
nonpublic school or private school shall notify the school
employe of the student's identity and portion of the student's
records relating to the incident.
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(6) Notwithstanding the requirements in paragraph (1), for
incidents under subsection (a)(2) and (3), a school entity,
nonpublic school or private school shall notify the following:
(i) School employes.
(ii) The parents and guardians of the students involved in
the incident.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:
(1) Limit a school entity's , nonpublic school's or private
school's responsibility to report incidents to local law
enforcement prior to providing parents and guardians and school
employes with the notification required under subsection (a).
(2) In an emergency, supersede or limit a school entity's ,
nonpublic school's or private school's 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 , nonpublic school
or private school and an employe organization.
(d) Except as required to notify the parent or guardian of a
student found in possession of a weapon, to provide notice to
school employes under subsection (b)(5) or as otherwise
permitted, the school entity's , nonpublic school's or private
school's notification to parents or guardians or school employes
under this section shall not contain personally identifiable
information about a student in compliance with 20 U.S.C. §
1232g .
(e) For the purposes of this section, the following words
and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection:
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"Nonpublic school." A nonprofit school, other than a public
school, within this Commonwealth in which a resident of this
Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school
attendance requirements of this act and that meets the
applicable requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 (Public Law 88-352, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.).
"School entity." An area career and technical school,
charter school, cyber charter school, regional charter school or
school district or intermediate unit .
"School property." Any of the following:
(1) Public school grounds.
(2) A location where a school-sponsored activity is
conducted.
(3) A conveyance providing transportation to a school
entity , nonpublic school, private school or school-sponsored
activity.
"WEAPON." ANY KNIFE, CUTTING INSTRUMENT, CUTTING TOOL,
NUNCHAKU, FIREARM, SHOTGUN, RIFLE AND ANY OTHER TOOL, INSTRUMENT
OR IMPLEMENT CAPABLE OF INFLICTING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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 STUDENT SUPPORTS, 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 , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR
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PRIVATE SCHOOL SHALL NOTIFY PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL
EMPLOYES OF AN INCIDENT INVOLVING THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON ON
ANY SCHOOL PROPERTY THAT CONSTITUTES A VIOLATION OF ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING:
(1) SECTION 1317.2.
(2) 18 PA.C.S. § 912 (RELATING TO POSSESSION OF WEAPON ON
SCHOOL PROPERTY).
(3) LOCALLY ESTABLISHED POLICIES OF THE SCHOOL ENTITY'S ,
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE SCHOOL'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
COMMUNICATION LIKELY TO REACH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL
EMPLOYES.
(2) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (3), IF AN INCIDENT
INVOLVING THE POSSESSION OF A WEAPON OCCURS AT A SCHOOL
BUILDING, THE SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL
MAY LIMIT NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS
ENROLLED IN OR 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 ,
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL SHALL MAKE NOTIFICATION TO
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN OR ATTENDING, OR
SCHOOL EMPLOYES ASSIGNED TO, ANY BUILDING SITUATED ON THE SHARED
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CAMPUS.
(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
ACTIVITY, THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY:
(I) THE SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL
SHALL ENSURE THAT THE NOTIFICATION REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION
REACHES THE APPROPRIATE POPULATION 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 ,
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL SHALL NOTIFY THE SCHOOL
EMPLOYE OF THE STUDENT'S IDENTITY AND PORTION OF THE STUDENT'S
RECORDS RELATING TO THE INCIDENT.
(C) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO:
(1) LIMIT A SCHOOL ENTITY'S , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE
SCHOOL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT INCIDENTS TO LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT PRIOR TO PROVIDING PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND SCHOOL
EMPLOYES WITH THE NOTIFICATION REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (A).
(2) IN AN EMERGENCY, SUPERSEDE OR LIMIT A SCHOOL ENTITY'S ,
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE SCHOOL'S 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).
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(3) SUPERSEDE OR PREEMPT ANY PROVISION OF A COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN A SCHOOL ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL
OR PRIVATE SCHOOL AND AN EMPLOYE ORGANIZATION.
(D) EXCEPT AS REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF A
STUDENT FOUND IN POSSESSION OF A WEAPON, TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO
SCHOOL EMPLOYES UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(5) OR AS OTHERWISE
PERMITTED, THE SCHOOL ENTITY'S , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL'S OR PRIVATE
SCHOOL'S NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OR SCHOOL EMPLOYES
UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL NOT CONTAIN PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE
INFORMATION ABOUT A STUDENT IN COMPLIANCE WITH 20 U.S.C. §
1232G .
(E) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS
AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS
SUBSECTION:
"NONPUBLIC SCHOOL." A NONPROFIT SCHOOL, OTHER THAN A PUBLIC
SCHOOL WITHIN THIS COMMONWEALTH, IN WHICH A RESIDENT OF THIS
COMMONWEALTH MAY LEGALLY FULFILL THE COMPULSORY SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ACT AND THAT MEETS THE
APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF
1964 (PUBLIC LAW 88-352, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 ET SEQ.).
"PRIVATE SCHOOL." A PRIVATE ACADEMIC SCHOOL AS DEFINED IN
SECTION 2 OF THE ACT OF JANUARY 28, 1988 (P.L.24, NO.11), KNOWN
AS THE PRIVATE ACADEMIC SCHOOLS ACT.
"SCHOOL ENTITY." AN AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL,
CHARTER SCHOOL, CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL, REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL OR
SCHOOL DISTRICT OR INTERMEDIATE UNIT .
"SCHOOL PROPERTY." ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
(1) PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS.
(2) A LOCATION WHERE A SCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITY IS
CONDUCTED.
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(3) A CONVEYANCE PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO A SCHOOL
ENTITY , NONPUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL OR SCHOOL-SPONSORED
ACTIVITY.
SECTION 2. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.
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