THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY PILEGGI, RAFFERTY, MUSTO, WONDERLING, KITCHEN, M. WHITE, ERICKSON, WARD, FOLMER, ALLOWAY, WILLIAMS, DINNIMAN, O'PAKE, VOGEL, PICCOLA, BOSCOLA AND FERLO, MARCH 27, 2009

AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, JUNE 8, 2009   

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," further providing for facilities.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 1722-A of the act of March 10, 1949

(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

amended or added June 19, 1997 (P.L.225, No.22) and July 9, 2008

(P.L.846, No.61) and repealed in part July 4, 2004 (P.L.536,

No.70) is amended to read:

Section 1722-A.  Facilities.--(a)  A charter school may be

located in an existing public school building, in a part of an

existing public school building, in space provided on a

privately owned site, in a public building or in any other

suitable location.

(b)  The charter school facility shall be exempt from public

school facility regulations except those pertaining to the

health or safety of the pupils.

(d)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, a

school district of the first class may, in its discretion,

permit a charter school to operate its school at more than one

location.

(e)  All school property owned by any charter school or cyber

<--

charter school or leased to a charter school or cyber charter

school, real and personal, that is occupied and used by any

charter school or cyber charter school for public school,

recreation or any other purposes provided for by this act, shall

be, and hereby is, made exempt from every kind of State, county,

city, borough, township or other tax, as well as from all costs

or expenses for paving, curbing, sidewalks, sewers or other

municipal improvements: Provided, That any charter school or

cyber charter school or owner of property leased to a charter

school or cyber charter school may make any municipal

improvement in any street on which its school property abuts or

may contribute any sum toward the cost thereof.

(e)  All school property, real and personal, owned by any

<--

charter school, cyber charter school or an associated nonprofit

foundation, or leased to a charter school or cyber charter

school at or below fair market value, that is occupied and used

by any charter school or cyber charter school for public school,

recreation or any other purposes provided for by this act, shall

be made exempt from every kind of State, county, city, borough,

township or other tax, as well as from all costs or expenses for

paving, curbing, sidewalks, sewers or other municipal

improvements: Provided, That any charter school or cyber charter

school or owner of property leased to a charter school or cyber

charter school may make a municipal improvement in a street on

which its school property abuts or may contribute a sum toward

the cost of the improvement. This exemption shall apply only

where a charter school, cyber charter school or an associated

nonprofit foundation is responsible for payment of the

aforementioned taxes, costs or expenses.

Section 2.  The amendment of section 1722-A of the act shall

apply retroactively to the effective date of Article XVII-A.

Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.