Bill Text: PA HB1318 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Imposing a moratorium on the closure of the Scranton State School for the Deaf; and requiring the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the operations and cost of the Scranton State School for the Deaf and to report the findings to the General Assembly.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-04-21 - Referred to EDUCATION [HB1318 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1318-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1569
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1318 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, HARHAI, YUDICHAK, McCALL, EACHUS, STABACK, PASHINSKI, BELFANTI, GERGELY, BARBIN, BEAR, BEYER, BOBACK, BOYD, BOYLE, BRADFORD, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, BROWN, BURNS, BUXTON, CARROLL, CAUSER, CLYMER, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, CUTLER, DEASY, DePASQUALE, DERMODY, DeWEESE, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GROVE, GRUCELA, HESS, HORNAMAN, HOUGHTON, JOHNSON, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, MELIO, MILLARD, MILLER, MIRABITO, MURT, D. O'BRIEN, M. O'BRIEN, PHILLIPS, PYLE, QUINN, REICHLEY, ROHRER, SAINATO, SAMUELSON, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SIPTROTH, K. SMITH, M. SMITH, SOLOBAY, SONNEY, J. TAYLOR, VITALI, VULAKOVICH, WANSACZ, WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD, DALEY, BAKER, MENSCH, CALTAGIRONE AND FARRY, APRIL 21, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 21, 2009
AN ACT
Imposing a moratorium on the closure of the Scranton State
School for the Deaf; and requiring the Legislative Budget and
Finance Committee to study the operations and cost of the
Scranton State School for the Deaf and to report the findings
to the General Assembly.
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 Scranton
State School for the Deaf Closure Moratorium Act.
Section 2. 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:
"Closure." The closing, selling, leasing, transfer of
ownership or operational control of the Scranton State School
for the Deaf or a drastic reduction in educational services or
staff or any other act or omission that renders the school
inoperable.
"Committee." The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"School." The Scranton State School for the Deaf.
Section 3. Moratorium.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law and pending
submission to the General Assembly of the study required under
section 4, if a closure of the school is not made before June
30, 2009, a moratorium is established during which the school
may not undergo closure.
Section 4. Study of operations and costs.
(a) Study.--The committee shall conduct a study, in
consultation with school officials, experts and specialists in
the field of educating the deaf community, as well as with
representatives of the department, to do all of the following:
(1) Identify all existing Federal, State and county
funding streams that fund the school.
(2) Identify the fiscal impact to the Commonwealth if
the school remains open and operated by the Commonwealth.
(3) Examine the efficiency of the school's operations.
(4) Determine specific methods to produce a more cost-
effective operation of the school.
(5) Examine the issues articulated in support of and in
opposition to the proposal to close the school.
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(6) Identify what cost savings would be realized by the
Commonwealth by implementing the department's proposal to
close the school.
(7) Identify if the proposed funding to implement the
department's proposal is efficient and adequate to be
utilized to keep the school operational for the duration of
the moratorium established under section 3.
(8) Identify methods on how the Commonwealth can best
continue providing fiscal support to the school.
(9) Identify any other issues the committee deems
appropriate.
(b) Final report.--The committee shall submit a final report
with recommendations to the President pro tempore of the Senate,
the Education Committee of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
of Representatives and the Education Committee of the House of
Representatives no later than May 1, 2010, for review and any
appropriate legislative action.
Section 5. Action.
Any student that would be affected by the closure of the
school shall have the right to institute an action in equity to
enjoin any person from closing the school.
Section 20. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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