PRINTER'S NO. 2130
No. 1715 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, ARGALL, HENNESSEY, BELFANTI, BISHOP,
CALTAGIRONE, L. I. COHEN, COLAFELLA, CRUZ, CURRY, DALEY,
DeWEESE, EACHUS, FRANKEL, GEORGE, GORDNER, GRUCELA, HORSEY,
JAMES, JOSEPHS, KAISER, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LEVDANSKY, MANN,
McCALL, MELIO, PETRARCA, PISTELLA, PRESTON, ROBERTS, SANTONI,
SOLOBAY, STABACK, STEELMAN, STURLA, SURRA, THOMAS, TIGUE,
TRELLO, TRICH, WALKO, C. WILLIAMS, J. WILLIAMS, WOJNAROSKI,
YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, JUNE 11, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 11, 2001
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 voter registration
6 forms to be given to high school graduates.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 1613 of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
11 amended December 15, 1986 (P.L.1602, No.178), is amended to
12 read:
13 Section 1613. High School Certificates.--(a) The board of
14 school directors, joint board of joint school committee
15 operating any high school shall issue a certificate to each
16 pupil satisfactorily completing the prescribed course of
17 instruction in the high school.
1 (b) For those pupils graduating at the close of the school
2 year 1989-1990, and each school year thereafter, the following
3 minimum courses in grades nine through twelve are established as
4 a requirement for high school graduation in schools operated by
5 a bona fide church or other religious body:
6 (1) Four years of English.
7 (2) Three years of mathematics.
8 (3) Three years of science.
9 (4) Three years of social studies.
10 (5) Two years of arts and humanities.
11 (c) A child enrolled in a day or boarding school accredited
12 by an accrediting association which is approved by the State
13 Board of Education shall be deemed to have met the requirements
14 of subsection (b).
15 (d) Voter registration forms shall also be given to pupils
16 issued certificates under subsection (a) and who will be
17 eligible to vote in the first election following their
18 graduation. This subsection shall not apply to pupils in schools
19 operated by a bona fide church or other religious body which has
20 at any time filed an objection in writing with the Secretary of
21 Education on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction
22 constituting or similar to a religious belief.
23 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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