PRINTER'S NO. 1439
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1075
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY TEPLITZ, BREWSTER, FONTANA AND COSTA,
NOVEMBER 23, 2015
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, NOVEMBER 23, 2015
AN ACT
Establishing the Charter and Cyber Charter School Funding
Commission; and providing for its powers and duties.
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 Charter and
Cyber Charter School Funding Commission Act.
Section 2. Charter and Cyber Charter School Funding Commission.
(a) Establishment.--The Charter and Cyber Charter School
Funding Commission is established.
(b) Purpose.--The commission shall review and make
recommendations relating to, but not limited to, determining
appropriate tuition rates and State funding related to charter
and cyber charter education.
(c) Membership.--
(1) The commission shall consist of the following
members:
(i) The chair and minority chair of the Education
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Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority chair
of the Education Committee of the House of
Representatives or their designees.
(ii) Two legislators from each of the four
legislative caucuses to be appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, in consultation with the Majority Leader
and Minority Leader of the Senate and the Majority Leader
and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(iii) The Secretary of Education or a designee.
(iv) The Deputy Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education or a designee.
(v) An individual appointed by the Governor from
within the Governor's Administration.
(2) The commission shall elect a member to serve as
chair of the commission.
(d) Initial meeting.--The commission shall hold its first
meeting within 45 days of the effective date of this section,
regardless of whether the Governor or all legislative caucuses
have appointed members to the commission.
(e) Meetings.--The commission shall hold meetings at the
call of the chair.
(f) Expenses.--The members may not receive 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 of the commission.
(g) Administrative support.--The General Assembly shall
provide administrative support, meeting space and any other
assistance required by the commission to carry out its duties
under this section in cooperation with the Department of
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Education of the Commonwealth.
(h) Quorum.--A quorum constituting 10 members of the
commission who are present and in person shall be required to
take any action related to powers and duties of the commission
in making recommendations, approving draft legislation or
regulations or approving the commission's report on its findings
and recommendations under subsection (j).
(i) Voting.--An affirmative vote of 10 members of the
commission who are present and in person shall be required to
make recommendations, approve draft legislation or regulations
or approve the commission's report on its findings and
recommendations under subsection (j).
(j) Powers and duties.--The commission shall have all of the
following powers and duties:
(1) Review and make findings and recommendations related
to charter and cyber charter school tuition rates and State
funding in this Commonwealth.
(2) Consult with and utilize experts to assist the
commission in carrying out the duties under this subsection.
(3) Receive input from interested parties, including,
but not limited to, charter and cyber charter school entities
and other local education agencies.
(4) Hold public hearings in different regions of this
Commonwealth.
(5) Review, consider and compare charter and cyber
charter school funding formulas and factors utilized
throughout the United States with the Commonwealth's current
charter school funding process.
(6) In identifying the charter and cyber charter school
funding factors under this subsection and in completing the
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report required under this subsection, consider the impact
these factors may have on the distribution of education
funding in this Commonwealth.
(7) Draft proposed regulations and proposed legislation
based on the commission's findings.
(8) Issue a report of the commission's findings and
recommendations to the Governor, the President pro tempore of
the Senate, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the
Senate, the Education Committee of the Senate, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader and
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the
Education Committee of the House of Representatives and the
Secretary of Education not later than one year after the
initial meeting of the commission.
(k) General Assembly approval.--The charter and cyber
charter school education tuition rates and funding formula
developed by the commission shall not go into effect unless the
formula is approved by an act of the General Assembly enacted
after the effective date of this section.
(l) Reconstitution.--Every five years the commission shall
be reconstituted in accordance with subsection (c), meet and
hold public hearings to review the operation of the charter and
cyber charter school funding provisions of this section, make a
further report and issue the report to the recipients listed in
subsection (j).
(m) Appropriations.--Notwithstanding the recommendations of
the commission, the General Assembly shall, through the annual
appropriations process, determine whether and to what extent the
Commonwealth should provide State funding to, for or in support
of charter and cyber charter schools.
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Section 3. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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