PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3709 PRINTER'S NO. 3762
No. 2797 Session of 1992
INTRODUCED BY BATTISTO, COY, D. W. SNYDER, LUCYK, MUNDY, NICKOL,
FREEMAN, KING, VAN HORNE, VEON, STEELMAN, CLARK, SERAFINI,
McCALL, MELIO, PETRONE, STABACK, KREBS, BISHOP, LEVDANSKY,
DeLUCA, JAROLIN, LAWLESS, GRUPPO, HALUSKA, BILLOW, STISH,
TANGRETTI AND CORRIGAN, JUNE 3, 1992
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 10, 1992
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," further providing for adoption of
6 school district budgets.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 687(a) of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
11 amended to read:
12 Section 687. Annual Budget; Additional or Increased
13 Appropriations; Transfer of Funds.--(a) The board of school
14 directors of each school district of the second, third, or
15 fourth class shall, annually, [at least thirty (30) days prior
16 to the adoption of the annual budget, prepare a proposed budget
17 of the amount of funds that will be required by the school
18 district in its several departments for the following fiscal
1 year. Such proposed budget shall be prepared on a uniform form,
2 prepared and furnished by the Department of Public Instruction,
3 and shall be apportioned to the several classes of expenditures
4 of the district as the board of school directors thereof may
5 determine. Final action shall not be taken on any proposed
6 budget, in which the estimated expenditures exceed two thousand
7 dollars ($2000), until after ten (10) days' public notice.
8 Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent any school
9 district, whose total estimated expenditures do not exceed two
10 thousand dollars ($2000), from holding a public hearing. The
11 proposed budget shall be printed, or otherwise made available
12 for public inspection to all persons who may interest
13 themselves, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date set for
14 the adoption of the budget.] PREPARE A PROPOSED BUDGET ON A <--
15 UNIFORM FORM PREPARED AND FURNISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
16 EDUCATION, AND SHALL proceed to formulate and approve its annual
17 budget in accordance with the following steps:
18 (1) Hold a public budget information meeting at least sixty
19 (60) days before the date when the budget is passed finally by
20 the board to reveal the contents of the budget to be proposed no
21 sooner than thirty (30) days later. The board of school
22 directors shall initiate discussion of the budget, explaining
23 which expenditures and revenue sources are being considered.
24 Copies of information presented shall be made available at this
25 meeting to persons who attend.
26 (2) Hold a public meeting to introduce the proposed budget
27 at least thirty (30) days after the budget information meeting
28 and at least thirty (30) days before the budget is passed
29 finally by the board. Copies of the proposed budget shall be
30 available at this meeting to persons who attend.
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1 (3) Hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at least
2 fifteen (15) days after the meeting to introduce the proposed
3 budget and at least fifteen (15) days before the budget is
4 passed finally by the board. The board of directors shall have a <--
5 written record made of this hearing. Written testimony and all
6 oral suggestions and comments shall be made a part of the
7 record. In addition, the board of school directors shall set
8 aside enough time to answer questions from the taxpayers. Copies
9 of the proposed budget shall be available at this meeting to
10 persons who attend.
11 (4) Conduct the public hearing in accordance with clause (3)
12 and with regulations which the Department of Education may
13 promulgate to provide that the hearing procedure is uniform
14 throughout this Commonwealth. RECORD THE HEARING. THE BOARD MAY <--
15 REQUEST THAT PERSONS INTERESTED IN SPEAKING AT THE MEETING SIGN
16 UP IN ADVANCE, BUT SHALL NOT PROHIBIT INDIVIDUALS FROM SIGNING
17 UP AT THE MEETING. THE BOARD MAY ESTABLISH REASONABLE LIMITS FOR
18 PUBLIC COMMENT AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. COPIES
19 OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET SHALL BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION
20 AT THE MEETING.
21 (5) (4) Give notice of each meeting and hearing in <--
22 accordance with the act of July 3, 1986 (P.L.388, No.84), known
23 as the "Sunshine Act."
24 (6) (5) Provide copies of the proposed budget at each school <--
25 building in the district governed by the board of directors, as
26 well as at the prescribed meetings and the public hearing. The
27 board of directors shall make its taxpayers aware where copies
28 of the proposed budget may be obtained.
29 * * *
30 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 15 days.
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