Pennsylvania Act 2014-108 — PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949 - FINANCIAL PROGRAM AND REIMBURSEMENT OF PAYMENTS RELATING TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Act text

Session of 2014

No. 2014-108

SB 874

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.

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. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 2nd day of July, A.D. 2014.

TOM CORBETT