Regular Session 2021-2022 House Bill 1323 P.N. 1424

PRINTER'S NO. 1424

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1323

Session of

2021

INTRODUCED BY STURLA, HILL-EVANS, N. NELSON, WARREN, SANCHEZ,

DEASY AND SCHWEYER, MAY 5, 2021

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 5, 2021

AN ACT

Establishing the Pennsylvania Higher Education Promotion Task

Force and providing for powers and duties of the task force.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania

Higher Education Promotion Task Force Act.

Section 2. Declaration of policy.

The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

(1) This Commonwealth has one of the highest numbers of

higher education institutions in the United States.

(2) Higher education institutions generate hundreds of

millions of dollars in economic benefits and well-paying jobs

with benefits to communities where the institutions operate

in this Commonwealth.

Section 3. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Higher education institution." A post-secondary educational

institution in this Commonwealth, whether public or private,

that is licensed to issue degrees by the Commonwealth.

"Task force." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Promotion

Task Force established in this act.

Section 4. Pennsylvania Higher Education Promotion Task Force.

(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Higher Education

Promotion Task Force is established.

(b) General duties.--The task force shall:

(1) Identify strategies and making short-term and long-

term recommendations to enhance the promotion of higher

education institutions.

(2) Improve competitiveness of higher education

institutions to ensure student enrollment is maintained or

increased.

Section 5. Membership and meetings.

(a) Membership.--The task force is comprised of the

following:

(1) Five members appointed by the Governor. The

following shall apply to the members appointed by the

Governor:

(i) One member must represent Pennsylvania's State-

related universities.

(ii) One member must represent trade and proprietary

schools.

(iii) One member must have national marketing

experience.

(2) One member appointed by the Secretary of Education.

(3) One member appointed by the Secretary of Community

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and Economic Development.

(4) Three members appointed by the President pro tempore

of the Senate.

(5) Three members appointed by the Speaker of the House

of Representatives.

(6) Three members appointed by the minority leader of

the Senate.

(7) Three members appointed by the minority leader of

the House of Representatives.

(8) One member appointed by the majority chair of the

Senate Education Committee.

(9) One member appointed by the minority chair of the

Senate Education Committee.

(10) One member appointed by the majority chair of the

House of Representatives Education Committee.

(11) One member appointed by the minority chair of the

House of Representatives Education Committee.

(12) One member appointed by the chancellor of the

Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

(13) One member appointed by the president and chief

executive officer of the Pennsylvania Higher Education

Assistance Agency.

(14) One member appointed by the president of the

Association of Independent Colleges and University of

Pennsylvania.

(15) One member appointed by the president of the

Association of Pennsylvania State Colleges and University

Faculties.

(b) Chairperson.--The Governor shall select the chairperson

of the task force.

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appointed within 30 days after the effective date of this

section.

(d) Quorum.--The presence of a majority of the members

constitutes a quorum of the task force.

(e) Majority vote.--An action of the task force shall be

authorized or ratified by a majority vote of the task force's

members.

(f) Meetings.--

(1) The task force shall meet as necessary, but no fewer

than six times yearly. The first meeting shall be convened

within 45 days after the effective date of this section.

(2) Additional meetings may be called by the chairperson

as necessary.

(3) The chairperson shall schedule a meeting upon

written request of two-thirds majority of the members of the

task force.

(4) A member not physically present may participate by

teleconference or video conference.

(g) Compensation.--Members of the task force shall not

receive compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable and

necessary expenses incurred in service of the task force.

Section 6. Additional duties.

The task force shall have the following duties:

(1) To examine and analyze the existing

practices, processes and laws relating to the promotion of

higher education institutions.

(2) To examine and analyze the existing

practices, processes and laws that impact student enrollment

in higher education institutions.

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(3) To examine and analyze the existing

practices, processes and laws that impact the economic

benefits of higher education institutions.

(4) To hold public hearings for the taking of testimony

and the requesting of documents.

(5) To make relevant recommendations for enhancing the

promotion of higher education institutions.

(6) To issue a report in accordance with section 9.

Section 7. Hearings.

The task force may hold public hearings as necessary to

obtain the information required to conduct its review.

Section 8. Agency cooperation.

The Department of Education shall cooperate to provide

administrative or other assistance as needed to the task force.

Section 9. Reports.

(a) Report.--

(1) By November 30, 2022, the task force shall prepare

and submit a report on the task force's activities, findings

and recommendations.

(2) The task force shall submit the report to the

Governor, the President pro tempore of the Senate and the

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(3) The task force may file status reports and updates

with the Governor, the President pro tempore of the Senate

and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as the task

force deems appropriate.

(b) Adoption of report.--A report under this section shall

be adopted at a public meeting.

public record under the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3),

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known as the Right-to-Know Law.

Section 10. Expiration.

This act shall expire November 30, 2022.

Section 11. Effective date.

This act shall take effect immediately.

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