THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY PICCOLA, VANCE, CORMAN, M. WHITE, ALLOWAY, SMUCKER AND FOLMER, MAY 7, 2012

SENATOR PICCOLA, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 19, 2012   

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 community colleges, further

providing for financial program and reimbursement of

payments; establishing the Pennsylvania Community College

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Affordability Task Force within the Department of Education;

and providing for its powers and duties and for

administrative support.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 1913-A(a) of the act of March 10, 1949

(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

amended June 7, 1993 (P.L.49, No.16), is amended to read:

Section 1913-A.  Financial Program; Reimbursement of

Payments.--(a)  [The] (1)  Except as otherwise provided in

paragraph (2), the plan submitted by the local sponsor shall set

forth a financial program for the operation of the community

college. The plan shall provide that the local sponsor shall

appropriate or provide to the community college an amount at

least equal to the community college's annual operating costs

less the student tuition as determined in section 1908-A(a) less

the Commonwealth's payment as determined in subsection (b)(1) of

this section. The plan shall also provide that one-half of the

annual capital expenses shall be appropriated or provided by the

local sponsor to the community college. The local sponsor's

appropriation for annual operating costs and annual capital

expenses may in part be represented by real or personal property

or services made available to the community college. The plan

shall indicate whether the appropriation shall come from general

revenues, loan funds, special tax levies or from other sources,

including student tuitions. 

(2)  (i)  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1),

for a community college that is sponsored by one or more school

districts, has an enrollment head count in excess of 20,000 and

consists of more than four campuses that are approved by both

the Department of Education and the Middle States Association of

Colleges and Schools, the plan submitted by the local sponsor

shall set forth a financial program for the operation of the

community college and shall provide that the local sponsor shall

appropriate or provide to the community college for the

community college's annual operating costs and annual capital

expenses an amount negotiated by the governing body of the local

sponsor and the community college, provided that the amount

negotiated shall not exceed the sum of:

(A)  an amount at least equal to the community college's

annual operating costs less the student tuition as determined in

section 1908-A(a) less the Commonwealth's payment as determined

in subsection (b)(1); and

(B)  one-half of the annual capital expenses of the community

college.

(ii)  The local sponsor's appropriation for annual operating

costs and annual capital expenses may in part be represented by

real or personal property or services made available to the

community college. The plan shall indicate whether the

appropriation shall come from general revenues, loan funds,

special tax levies or from other sources, including student

tuitions.

(iii)  For purposes of this paragraph, the term "enrollment

head count" shall mean the number of students enrolled on a

full-time or part-time basis at a community college in the

immediately preceding fall semester.

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Section 2.  The act is amended by adding a section to read:

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Section 1919-A.  Pennsylvania Community College Affordability

Task Force.--(a)  A task force is established within the

Department of Education on the affordability of community

college education.

(b)  The task force shall be composed of the following

members:

(1)  The Secretary of Education, who shall act as chairperson

of the task force.

(2)  A representative of the Department of Labor and

Industry's Workforce Investment Board, to be appointed by the

Secretary of Labor and Industry.

(3)  Five representatives of community colleges, including a

college president, a member of a board of trustees of a

community college and a chief financial officer of a community

college, to be appointed by the Pennsylvania Commission for

Community Colleges.

(4)  Two members of the House of Representatives to be

appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(5)  Two members of the Senate to be appointed by the

President pro tempore of the Senate.

(6)  Three county commissioners who represent counties that

sponsor a local community college, to be appointed by the County

Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania.

(7)  Two members of school boards that sponsor a local

community college, to be appointed by the Pennsylvania School

Boards Association.

(8)  Two representatives to be appointed by the Governor who

are members of the business community.

(c)  The task force shall examine and make recommendations

regarding the sustainability of the local sponsorship share and

instructional costs of the community colleges within this

Commonwealth and the long-term affordability of a community

college education for Pennsylvania residents.

(d)  The task force shall issue a report of its findings and

recommendations to the Governor, the President pro tempore of

the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of

the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House

of Representatives, the chair and minority chair of the

Education Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority

chair of the Education Committee of the House of

Representatives. This report shall be submitted within one

hundred eighty (180) days after the first meeting of the task

force.

(e)  The task force shall meet as deemed necessary by the

chair in order to carry out the study and make recommendations.

(f)  Task force members shall receive no compensation for

their services but shall be reimbursed for all necessary travel

and other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the

performance of their duties as members.

(g)  The Department of Education shall provide administrative

support, office space and any other technical assistance

required by the task force to carry out its duties under this

section.

Section 2 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days 

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immediately.

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