Bill Text: PA SB644 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for a prototypical school facility design clearinghouse.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 8-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-19 - Referred to EDUCATION [SB644 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-SB644-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 699
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 644 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY WAUGH, BOSCOLA, BRUBAKER, EARLL, O'PAKE, PICCOLA, PIPPY, WARD, D. WHITE AND WONDERLING, MARCH 19, 2009
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 19, 2009
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," providing for a prototypical school
facility design clearinghouse.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 732.1. Prototypical School Facility Design
Clearinghouse.--(a) The Department of Education shall establish
a central clearinghouse of prototypical school facility designs
for access by any school entity that may want to use a prototype
design in the construction of school facilities. The Department
of Education shall compile necessary publications and a computer
database to make the information on prototype designs available
for review to school entities and the public at large.
(b) Design professionals registered in this Commonwealth may
submit plans for inclusion in the computer database that have
been submitted and approved by the Department of Education in
accordance with section 731. The original design professional of
record shall retain ownership of a prototype design.
Prototypical school facility designs submitted shall include
information that the Department of Education determines is
necessary and appropriate to facilitate this section.
(c) The Department of Education shall establish a grading
system to review and evaluate plans submitted pursuant to this
section using standards which promote the following:
(1) The use of design principles to achieve the highest
standards of health, safety, accessibility, environmental
protection and energy efficiency.
(2) The academic and technological needs of students.
(3) The use of cost-effective design and construction
techniques, including the use of straight-line, right-angle
design principles and avoiding the use of curved and
nonsymmetrical design.
(4) The use of design principles that allow for expansion of
school facilities to accommodate future growth in student
population.
(5) The use of durable materials in construction.
(6) The preservation of open space.
(d) The Department of Education shall determine which school
design plans submitted promote the highest standards as
enumerated under subsection (c) and shall classify those plans
as achieving high honors in school design. A school entity that
utilizes, as its final plan, a high honors in school design plan
shall receive an additional State reimbursement equal to ten per
centum (10%) of the State reimbursement factor provided for in
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section 2574.
(e) The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee shall
conduct a study of the department's program to determine the
savings incurred by school entities that have participated in
the program. The study shall be conducted at the conclusion of
the fifth year of operation and shall include program
participation for the five-year period from inspection until its
fifth anniversary. The study shall be presented within six
months of its commencement to chairpersons of the Education
Committee of the Senate and the Education Committee of the House
of Representatives.
(f) The Department of Education shall adopt rules necessary
to implement this section.
(g) As used in this section, the term "school entity" means
a school district, intermediate unit, area vocational-technical
school or charter school operating within this Commonwealth
under provisions of this act.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 180 days.
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