PRINTER'S NO. 924
No. 792 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY MACKERETH, SAYLOR, R. MILLER, NICKOL, BAKER,
BARRAR, BROWNE, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, DAILEY, DALLY,
FAIRCHILD, FLEAGLE, GEIST, HARPER, HENNESSEY, HERMAN,
HERSHEY, HORSEY, LEVDANSKY, LEWIS, McILHATTAN, S. MILLER,
PETRI, REICHLEY, ROSS, RUBLEY, SCAVELLO, SCRIMENTI, SURRA,
E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, WASHINGTON, WATSON, WILT AND
YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 10, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 10, 2003
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 a prototypical school
6 facility design clearinghouse.
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 732.1. Prototypical School Facility Design
13 Clearinghouse.--(a) The Department of Education shall establish
14 a central clearinghouse of prototypical school facility designs
15 for access by any school entity that may want to use a prototype
16 design in the construction of school facilities. The Department
17 of Education shall compile necessary publications and a computer
1 database to make the information on prototype designs available
2 for review to school entities and the public at large.
3 (b) Design professionals registered in the Commonwealth may
4 submit plans for inclusion in the computer database that have
5 been submitted and approved by the Department of Education in
6 accordance with section 731. The original design professional of
7 record shall retain ownership of a prototype design.
8 Prototypical school facility designs submitted shall include
9 information that the Department of Education determines is
10 necessary and appropriate to facilitate this section.
11 (c) The Department of Education shall establish a grading
12 system to review and evaluate plans submitted pursuant to this
13 section using standards which promote the following:
14 (1) The use of design principles to achieve the highest
15 standards of health, safety, accessibility, environmental
16 protection and energy efficiency.
17 (2) The academic and technological needs of students.
18 (3) The use of cost-effective design and construction
19 techniques, including the use of straight-line, right-angle
20 design principles and avoiding the use of curved and
21 nonsymmetrical design.
22 (4) The use of design principles that allow for expansion of
23 school facilities to accommodate future growth in student
24 population.
25 (5) The use of durable materials in construction.
26 (6) The preservation of open space.
27 (d) The Department of Education shall adopt rules necessary
28 to implement this section.
29 (e) The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee shall
30 conduct a study of the Department of Education's clearinghouse
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1 and determine the savings incurred by school entities that have
2 sought access to the clearinghouse. The study shall be conducted
3 at the conclusion of the fifth year the clearinghouse is
4 accessible to school entities, shall include participation since
5 inception and shall be presented within six (6) months of the
6 period studied to the chairman of the Education Committee of the
7 Senate and the chairman of the Education Committee of the House
8 of Representatives.
9 (f) As used in this section, the term "school entity" means
10 a school district, intermediate unit, area vocational-technical
11 school or charter school operating within this Commonwealth
12 under provisions of this act.
13 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 180 days.
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