1Establishing the Pennsylvania Community College Affordability
2Task Force within the Department of Education; and providing
3for its powers and duties and for administrative support.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6Section 1. Pennsylvania Community College Affordability Task
7Force.

8(a) Establishment.--There is established within the
9Department of Education a task force on the affordability of
10community college education.

11(b) Composition.--The task force shall be composed of the
12following members:

13(1) The Secretary of Education, who shall act as
14chairperson of the task force.

15(2) Six representatives of community colleges, including
16four college presidents and two members of boards of trustees
17of community colleges to be appointed by the Pennsylvania

1Commission for Community Colleges.

2(3) Two members of the Senate to be appointed by the
3President pro tempore of the Senate.

4(4) Two members of the House of Representatives to be
5appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

6(5) One county commissioner that represents a county
7that sponsors a local community college as appointed by the
8Secretary of Education.

9(6) One member of a school board that sponsors a local
10community college as appointed by the Secretary of Education.

11(7) Two representatives to be appointed by the Governor
12who are members of the business community.

13(8) Two students attending community colleges as
14appointed by the Pennsylvania Commission for Community
15Colleges.

<-16(9) Two faculty members employed by community colleges
17as appointed by the Pennsylvania Commission for Community
18Colleges.

19(c) Study.--The task force shall examine and make
20recommendations regarding the viability and sustainability of
21the current community college funding model, accessibility of
22community college services across this Commonwealth, and the
23long-term affordability and accessibility of a community college
24education for residents of this Commonwealth. The task force
25should also consider the various components of the community
26college mission, including open access and workforce
27development.

28(d) Report to the General Assembly.--The task force shall
29issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the
30Governor, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker

1of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the
2Senate, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the
3chair and minority chair of the Education Committee of the
4Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Education
5Committee of the House of Representatives. This report shall be
6submitted within 180 days after the first meeting of the task
7force.

8(e) Meetings.--The task force shall meet as deemed necessary
9by the chair in order to carry out the study and make
10recommendations.

11(f) Compensation.--Task force members shall receive no
12compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for all
13necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred in
14connection with the performance of their duties as members.

15(g) Duties of department.--The Department of Education shall
16provide administrative support, office space and any other
17technical assistance required by the task force to carry out its
18duties under this section.

19Section 2. Effective date.

20This act shall take effect immediately.