PRINTER'S NO. 1689
No. 1282 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, WAGNER, MUSTO, ERICKSON, COSTA, ORIE,
O'PAKE, BOSCOLA, BODACK, STACK, TARTAGLIONE, LAVALLE,
KUKOVICH AND M. WHITE, JANUARY 29, 2002
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 29, 2002
AN ACT
1 Providing for community college tuition assistance to certain
2 displaced employees; and imposing powers and duties on the
3 Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.
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 Community
8 College Tuition Special Assistance 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 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
14 Agency created by the act of August 7, 1963 (P.L.549, No.290),
15 referred to as the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
16 Agency Act.
17 "Community college." A public college or technical institute
18 which is established and operated under Article XIX-A of the act
1 of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School
2 Code of 1949, and all branches or campuses of a community
3 college.
4 "Employee." A resident of this Commonwealth who:
5 (1) is or was employed by a business or other entity
6 located in this Commonwealth or whose employment was
7 principally localized in this Commonwealth; and
8 (2) is laid off or terminated due to the direct or
9 indirect effects of a terroristic act and not for just cause.
10 "Terroristic act." An act which:
11 (1) causes substantial damage to individuals or
12 property; and
13 (2) is declared to be a terroristic act by the
14 Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency on the basis of
15 targeting of institutions or citizens of the United States or
16 of this Commonwealth.
17 "Tuition and fees." The instructional charge and any other
18 fee established by the governing board of a community college
19 for Commonwealth residents attending the community college.
20 Section 3. Assistance for tuition and fees.
21 (a) Assistance.--Within 90 days of the declaration of a
22 terroristic act, the agency shall provide assistance for tuition
23 and fees to an employee who is enrolled in a community college
24 and pursuing a program of study for career development or job
25 training or retraining purposes.
26 (b) Amount and duration.--The agency shall determine the
27 amount and duration of tuition and fees assistance to be
28 provided, but in no case may the amount be less than 50% of the
29 total amount of tuition and fees an employee incurs or would
30 incur for the academic year for which assistance is being
20020S1282B1689 - 2 -
1 provided.
2 (c) Other grants.--The agency shall not reduce the amount of
3 other agency grants or aid for which the employee qualifies on
4 account of the employee's eligibility for or receipt of
5 assistance under this act.
6 Section 4. Retroactivity.
7 This act shall be retroactive to September 11, 2001.
8 Section 5. Effective date.
9 This act shall take effect immediately.
A23L24BIL/20020S1282B1689 - 3 -