PRINTER'S NO. 442
No. 422 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY E. Z. TAYLOR, WAUGH, JOSEPHS, RUBLEY, HUTCHINSON,
FLEAGLE, MARSICO, MELIO, KENNEY, SCHULER, CORRIGAN,
FAIRCHILD, DEMPSEY, LYNCH, TIGUE, TRUE, HENNESSEY, EGOLF,
STERN, BATTISTO, WOZNIAK, ARMSTRONG, BAKER, D. W. SNYDER,
ROONEY, SEMMEL, SAYLOR, WASHINGTON, SATHER, CLARK, GEIST,
GIGLIOTTI, BROWN, MICOZZIE, CALTAGIRONE, KUKOVICH, CHADWICK,
J. TAYLOR, TRELLO, YOUNGBLOOD, FARMER, FAJT, OLASZ, BROWNE,
CIVERA, GODSHALL, CONTI, COY, PESCI, FICHTER, BEBKO-JONES,
HERMAN, KREBS, RAYMOND, BUNT, STABACK, ITKIN, MILLER, CARONE,
MUNDY, DeLUCA AND KING, JANUARY 31, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
JANUARY 31, 1995
AN ACT
1 Providing for the establishment of a pilot program to make
2 payments to minor parents to encourage school attendance; and
3 making an appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Minor Parents
8 Educational Incentive Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
14 Commonwealth.
1 "Minor parent." A recipient of aid to families with
2 dependent children under the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
3 No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, who is under 19 years
4 of age and is a natural or adoptive custodial parent.
5 "Qualified reason for nonattendance." An excusal from school
6 provided for in section 1329, 1330 or 1417 of the act of March
7 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of
8 1949, or 22 Pa. Code Ch. 11 (relating to pupil attendance).
9 "School." An educational program that is designed to lead to
10 the attainment of a high school diploma or the equivalent of a
11 high school diploma.
12 Section 3. Establishment of pilot program.
13 The department shall establish a pilot program to provide
14 incentive payments to minor parents to encourage them to attend
15 school.
16 Section 4. Program components.
17 The program shall require every minor parent who is
18 participating in the pilot program to attend school in
19 accordance with requirements established by the department,
20 unless a minor parent demonstrates a qualified reason for not
21 attending school. The department shall provide, in addition to
22 the aid to families with dependent children allowance, to every
23 minor parent who participates in the pilot program and complies
24 with requirements established by the department, an incentive
25 payment in the amount of $50 per month, unless the amount
26 appropriated for the pilot program is insufficient to provide a
27 monthly payment in that amount in which case there shall be a
28 pro rata reduction in the amount of the incentive payment. The
29 department shall reduce the incentive payment, in the amount
30 determined by the department, to every minor parent who
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1 participates in the pilot program and who fails or refuses,
2 without a qualified reason, to attend school.
3 Section 5. Program requirements.
4 The department shall require every minor parent who
5 participates in the pilot program to enter into a written
6 contract with the county department of human services that
7 provides all of the following:
8 (1) The minor parent, to be eligible to receive the
9 incentive payment under this act, must attend school in
10 accordance with the requirements of the pilot program.
11 (2) The county assistance office will provide the
12 incentive payment to the minor parent if the minor parent
13 attends school.
14 (3) The county assistance office will discontinue the
15 incentive payment if the minor parent fails to attend or
16 refuses to attend school in accordance with the requirements
17 of the pilot program.
18 Section 6. Evaluation of program.
19 The department shall evaluate the program established under
20 this act and shall issue a report to the Governor and the
21 General Assembly. In conducting the evaluation, the department
22 shall select control groups of minor parents who are not
23 participating in the pilot program for comparison with minor
24 parents who are participating in the pilot program.
25 Section 7. Appropriation.
26 The sum of $250,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
27 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Public Welfare for
28 the fiscal year July 1, 1995, to June 30, 1996, to carry out the
29 provisions of this act. No more than $50,000 of the amount
30 appropriated shall be expended for administrative costs of the
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1 pilot program.
2 Section 8. Effective date.
3 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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