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House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	October 8, 2013 12:05 PM
From:	Representative Kevin Haggerty
To:	All House members
Subject:	Private Funding for School Safety

In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that would allow private foundations and businesses to voluntarily contribute funds to a restricted School Safety Account within the General Fund. The money in this account will be continually appropriated to the Department of Education for the exclusive use by the Office of Safe Schools. As you may know, my recent legislation, House Bill 196 of this session, was the first piece of safe school legislation in the Commonwealth that called for the funding of resource officers. Senate Bill 10 mirrored this bill, and I am proud of the bi-partisan work that Senator Joe Scarnati, Senator Lisa Baker, and I have achieved to help grow the school safety budget line 300% in one year. Although these pieces of legislation are a great start, we need substantial funding increases to adequately provide safe schools across the Commonwealth. The tremendous protocols, training guidelines, and overall methodology put in place by the Office of Safe Schools have caused many groups to look into strengthening the funding for the Office. With this legislation, private foundations and businesses will be able to have a profound fiscal impact on keeping our children and schools safe in PA. Please join me in encouraging the General Assembly to pass this landmark piece of legislation that will further the safety of our Commonwealth’s students.

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