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PRINTER'S NO. 4031
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2629
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY FIEDLER, DALEY, SIMS, ULLMAN, T. DAVIS, SANCHEZ,
ROZZI, ROEBUCK, GALLOWAY, SCHLOSSBERG, ISAACSON, A. DAVIS,
YOUNGBLOOD, BRIGGS, MADDEN, HANBIDGE, GREEN, HILL-EVANS,
McCLINTON, GAINEY, RAVENSTAHL AND DONATUCCI, JUNE 29, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 29, 2020
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,
providing for COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
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 1501.10. COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020.--(a) This
section applies only to the school year 2019-2020 as a result of
the global pandemic declared by the World Health Organization on
March 11, 2020.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary,
the following shall apply:
(1) An eligible provider of the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts
Program or a Head Start agency or delegate agency providing the
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Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program shall continue to
receive payments from the department as they would otherwise be
entitled to receive for the fiscal year 2019-2020 had the
pandemic of 2020 not occurred, including if the program is
closed or has lower attendance due to the pandemic of 2020.
(2) The department shall issue payments to an eligible
provider of the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program or a Head
Start agency or delegate agency providing the Head Start
Supplemental Assistance Program for an additional twenty (20)
days of instruction for children who will enter kindergarten in
the 2020-2021 school year as a result of the pandemic of 2020.
(3) Every eligible provider of the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts
Program or a Head Start agency or delegate agency providing the
Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program shall have a minimum
of two (2) staff persons participate in a training on the best
practices for sanitization related to the pandemic of 2020 and
sanitize their program prior to reopening. Training shall be:
(i) Offered at no cost.
(ii) Credit bearing.
(iii) Approved or offered by the Department of Education, in
consultation with the Department of Health and the Department of
Human Services.
(4) Every eligible provider of the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts
Program or a Head Start agency or delegate agency providing the
Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program with children
enrolled as of March 13, 2020, shall be issued a payment of
forty dollars ($40) per child, to assist with the costs of
reopening, including sanitization, meeting COVID-19 public
health requirements and standards, providing supplies and
training.
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(5) The sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), or as
much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the
General Fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal year
July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, for the purpose of funding the
Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program and Head Start Supplemental
Assistance Program.
(c) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Eligible provider." As defined in paragraphs (1), (2) and
(3) of the definition of "eligible provider" in section 1511-D.
"Head Start agency or delegate agency." As used in section
1501-D, except for an agency or delegate agency that provides
child care under section 901 of the act of June 13, 1967
(P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, or is a child
care center under section 1001 of the Human Services Code.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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