PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 427 PRINTER'S NO. 916
No. 398 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY BATTISTO, COY, NYCE, MUNDY, PETRARCA, NICKOL,
DALEY, KING, McCALL, OLASZ, ULIANA, DERMODY, STISH, FREEMAN,
WAUGH, COLAIZZO, YANDRISEVITS, MELIO, ROONEY, CORRIGAN,
DeLUCA, STABACK, CLARK, LEVDANSKY, LYNCH, TRICH, TOMLINSON,
KIRKLAND AND CIVERA, FEBRUARY 10, 1993
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 22, 1993
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," further providing for adoption of
6 school district budgets.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 687(a) of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
11 amended to read:
12 Section 687. Annual Budget; Additional or Increased
13 Appropriations; Transfer of Funds.--(a) The board of school
14 directors of each school district of the second, third, or
15 fourth class shall, annually, [at least thirty (30) days prior
16 to the adoption of the annual budget, prepare a proposed budget
17 of the amount of funds that will be required by the school
18 district in its several departments for the following fiscal
1 year. Such proposed budget shall be prepared on a uniform form,
2 prepared and furnished by the Department of Public Instruction,
3 and shall be apportioned to the several classes of expenditures
4 of the district as the board of school directors thereof may
5 determine. Final action shall not be taken on any proposed
6 budget, in which the estimated expenditures exceed two thousand
7 dollars ($2000), until after ten (10) days' public notice.
8 Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent any school
9 district, whose total estimated expenditures do not exceed two
10 thousand dollars ($2000), from holding a public hearing. The
11 proposed budget shall be printed, or otherwise made available
12 for public inspection to all persons who may interest
13 themselves, at least twenty (20) days prior to the date set for
14 the adoption of the budget.] prepare a proposed budget on a
15 uniform form prepared and furnished by the Department of
16 Education, and shall proceed to formulate and approve its annual
17 budget in accordance with the following criteria: <--
18 (1) Hold a public budget information meeting at least sixty
19 (60) days before the date when the budget is passed finally by
20 the board to reveal the contents of the budget to be proposed no
21 sooner than thirty (30) days later. The board of school
22 directors shall initiate discussion of the budget, explaining
23 which expenditures and revenue sources are being considered.
24 Copies of information presented shall be made available at this
25 meeting to persons who attend.
26 (2) Hold a public meeting to introduce the proposed budget
27 at least thirty (30) days after the budget information meeting
28 and at least thirty (30) days before the budget is passed
29 finally by the board. Copies of the proposed budget shall be
30 available at this meeting to persons who attend. SCHEDULE: <--
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1 (1) HOLD A PUBLIC BUDGET INFORMATION MEETING, ON A SEPARATE
2 DATE FROM THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING, AT LEAST FORTY-
3 FIVE (45) DAYS BEFORE THE DATE WHEN THE BUDGET IS PASSED FINALLY
4 BY THE BOARD. THE BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS SHALL INITIATE
5 DISCUSSION OF THE BUDGET BY PROVIDING A WRITTEN SUMMARY OF
6 EXPENDITURES FOR ALL MAJOR BUDGET CATEGORIES, AS REQUIRED TO BE
7 REPORTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET FORM 2028 AND ITS
8 SUCCESSORS, AND ALL REVENUE SOURCES TO PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE.
9 (2) HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING, WHICH MAY BE HELD CONCURRENTLY
10 WITH A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, TO
11 PRESENT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) DAYS AFTER THE
12 BUDGET INFORMATION MEETING AND AT LEAST THIRTY (30) DAYS BEFORE
13 THE BUDGET IS PASSED FINALLY BY THE BOARD. COPIES OF THE
14 PROPOSED BUDGET SHALL BE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THIS
15 MEETING. IN ORDER TO FACILITATE INSPECTION OF THE PROPOSED
16 BUDGET BY THE PUBLIC, A MINIMUM OF FIVE (5) COPIES OF THE
17 PROPOSED BUDGET SHALL BE AVAILABLE AT THIS MEETING.
18 (3) Hold a public hearing on the proposed budget at least
19 fifteen (15) days after the meeting to introduce the proposed
20 budget and at least fifteen (15) days before the budget is
21 passed finally by the board. The board of directors shall record
22 the hearing. The board may request that persons interested in
23 speaking at the meeting sign up in advance, but shall not
24 prohibit individuals from signing up at the meeting. The board
25 may establish reasonable limits for public comment and answering
26 questions from the public. Copies of the proposed budget shall
27 be available for public inspection at the meeting. IN ORDER TO <--
28 FACILITATE INSPECTION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET BY THE PUBLIC, A
29 MINIMUM OF FIVE (5) COPIES OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET SHALL BE
30 AVAILABLE AT THIS MEETING.
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1 (4) Give notice of each meeting and hearing in accordance
2 with the act of July 3, 1986 (P.L.388, No.84), known as the
3 "Sunshine Act."
4 (5) Provide copies of the proposed budget AT THE SCHOOL <--
5 DISTRICT OFFICE AND at each school building in the district
6 governed by the board of directors. as well as at the prescribed <--
7 meetings and the public hearing. The board of directors shall
8 make its taxpayers aware where copies of the proposed budget may
9 be obtained.
10 * * *
11 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 15 days.
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