PRINTER'S NO. 2659
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1893
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY ROAE, DIAMOND, McGINNIS, KAUFFMAN, RAPP,
ZIMMERMAN, GROVE, MENTZER, ORTITAY, LAWRENCE AND WARD,
OCTOBER 26, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, OCTOBER 26, 2017
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," in duties and powers of boards of
school directors, further providing for majority vote
required and recording.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 508 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30,
No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended to
read:
Section 508. Majority Vote Required; Recording.--[The] (a)
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), the affirmative
vote of a majority of all the members of the board of school
directors in every school district, duly recorded, showing how
each member voted, shall be required in order to take action on
the following subjects:--
Fixing length of school term.
Adopting textbooks.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Appointing or dismissing district superintendents, assistant
district superintendents, associate superintendents, principals,
and teachers.
Appointing tax collectors and other appointees.
Adopting the annual budget.
Levying and assessing taxes.
Purchasing, selling, or condemning land.
Locating new buildings or changing the locations of old ones.
Dismissing a teacher after a hearing.
Creating or increasing any indebtedness.
Adopting courses of study.
Establishing additional schools or departments.
Designating depositories for school funds.
Entering into contracts of any kind, including contracts for
the purchase of fuel or any supplies, where the amount involved
exceeds one hundred dollars ($100).
Fixing salaries or compensation of officers, teachers, or
other appointees of the board of school directors, who are not
subject to collective bargaining under Article XI-A.
Entering into contracts with and making appropriations to the
intermediate unit for the district's proportionate share of the
cost of services provided or to be provided for by the
intermediate unit.
(b) The following provisions shall apply to votes taken by a
board of school directors on a contract subject to collective
bargaining under Article XI-A:
(1) A member of the board of school directors shall be
prohibited from voting on the contract if a close relative of
the member belongs to the employee organization that is a party
to the contract.
20170HB1893PN2659 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(2) At the time that the board of school directors votes on
the contract, a member who is prohibited from voting under
paragraph (1) shall declare that the member is abstaining on the
vote due to a close relative conflict.
(3) The contract entered into between the board of school
directors and the employee organization must receive an
affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the board of
school directors who are not prohibited from voting under
paragraph (1).
(c) Failure to comply with the provisions of this section
shall render such acts of the board of school directors void and
[unenforcible] unenforceable.
(d) For purposes of this section, "close relative" means a
spouse, child, parent or sibling of a member of a board of
school directors and an individual who resides in the same
household as the member, whether or not related to the member.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20170HB1893PN2659 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17