PRINTER'S NO. 282
No. 289 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY MUNDY, LAUGHLIN, ITKIN, KUKOVICH, DeLUCA, STABACK,
VAN HORNE, PESCI, DALEY, TRELLO, MELIO, COLAFELLA, BELARDI,
TRAVAGLIO, HORSEY, YOUNGBLOOD AND BELFANTI, JANUARY 25, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 25, 1995
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," providing for severe weather
6 instruction and drills.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11 section to read:
12 Section 1517.1. Severe Weather Dangers and Emergency Shelter
13 Drills.--(a) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of
14 Education, in consultation with the Pennsylvania Emergency
15 Management Agency, to prepare materials of instruction for use
16 of teachers and students of all grades, in the public and
17 private schools, dealing with the dangers of severe weather and
18 the preparations needed to insure safety. The materials of
19 instruction shall be produced, at the expense of the
1 Commonwealth, under the direction of the Secretary of Education
2 and shall be distributed in sufficient quantities for the use of
3 all schools.
4 (b) School officials shall maintain, in all public school
5 buildings, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
6 weather radio with a warning alarm tone and battery backup that
7 will be provided by the Department of Education and receive
8 continuous weather broadcasts.
9 (c) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of Education, each
10 board of school directors and each district superintendent to
11 provide for the instruction and training of all pupils by means
12 of drills, so that in sudden emergencies they will be able to
13 take all necessary precautions in the shortest possible time
14 without confusion or panic.
15 (1) In all public schools, tornado drills shall be
16 periodically conducted, not less than twice a year, the first to
17 be conducted during the first week of the school term and the
18 second to be conducted during the month of March, and at such
19 other times as the district superintendent may require.
20 (2) Drills shall be conducted by the teacher or teachers in
21 charge under rules and regulations to be promulgated by the
22 district superintendent. During tornado drills, the pupils and
23 teachers shall be instructed in and made thoroughly familiar
24 with sheltering procedures. Drills shall include the actual act
25 of sheltering in an expeditious and orderly manner from the
26 inclement weather.
27 (d) District superintendents shall see that the provisions
28 of this section are faithfully carried out in all schools of
29 which they have charge.
30 (e) On or before the tenth day of April of each year, each
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1 district superintendent shall certify to the Secretary of
2 Education that the emergency sheltering drills required under
3 this section have been held.
4 (f) The Secretary of Education shall penalize a school
5 district which fails to comply with this section in the amount
6 of one one hundred eightieth (1/180) of the district's equalized
7 subsidy for basic education for the school year in which there
8 is noncompliance. The penalty under this subsection is subject
9 to 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure
10 of Commonwealth agencies) and Ch. 7 Subch. A (relating to
11 judicial review of Commonwealth agency action). The secretary
12 may enforce a penalty by withholding payments or by other legal
13 process.
14 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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