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WEEKLY SESSION NOTES
Monday, May 2, 2005
Senate Bill 143 (Rhoades) would amend the Public School Code to require school districts to establish parental involvement programs. Under the bill, each school district would have to establish a parent involvement committee to provide recommendations to the board on the district's parent involvement policy and program. The committee would be composed of parents with students in the school district. If a school district has already established a committee of parents to make recommendations on school policies, it could utilize that committee to meet this requirement. Among other components, the parent involvement policy would have to identify the district's goals and objectives for the increased involvement of parents in efforts to improve the academic achievement of students. The parent involvement program would have to identify existing school resources that parents could use to improve the academic achievement of the students and to establish means by which the school district and parents can communicate and share information. The board of school directors would have to provide a copy of the parent involvement policy to the parents or guardians of each student enrolled in the district and make copies of the parent involvement program and policy available for inspection in the administrative office of the district. Copies of the program and the policy would have to be provided to the Department of Education by June 30, 2006. The Department of Education would have to establish a clearinghouse of information for school districts related to strategies that could assist in the development of parent involvement programs and policies. Passed: 40-7. Senate Bill 327 (Gordner) would amend the Public School Code to allow school districts to receive reimbursement from the Department of Education for the two first class mailings required under the Homeowner Tax Relief Act. A school district would have to provide the department with a notarized statement certifying the number of notices mailed in the 2004-05 Fiscal Year. The bill would appropriate $3 million to the Department of Education for the purpose of making reimbursements to eligible school districts. Passed: 47-0. Senate Resolution 103 (Armstrong) designates May 1 through 8, 2005 as "Cover the Uninsured Week" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 104 (Earll) recognizes the week of May 1 through 7, 2005 as "National Charter Schools Week" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 105 (Stack) proclaims the week of May 1 through 7, 2005 as "Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 106 (Punt) recognizes the week of May 7 through 15, 2005 as "National Tourism Week" and May 10, 2005 as "Tourism Day" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 107 (Stack) designates May 6, 2005 as "PGH Nurses Day" to honor the Philadelphia General Hospital School of Nursing and all of its nurses for their strength, spirit and loyalty to sick and poor persons in the City of Philadelphia. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 108 (Orie) recognizes and honors firefighters throughout the Commonwealth for their bravery, dedication and heroism and designates May 4, 2005 as "Firefighters' Day" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote. Executive Session Nominations to Various Boards and Commissions. (See Attached) Confirmed: 47-0. Tuesday, May 3, 2005 Senate Resolution 84 (Scarnati) designates the month of May 2005 as "School Retiree Appreciation Month" in Pennsylvania. Adopted: 45-0. Senate Resolution 101 (Waugh) congratulates Rotary International on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 110 (Rafferty) recognizes the week of May 15 through 21, 2005 as "National Police Week" and May 15, 2005 as "Peace Officers' Memorial Day" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote. Wednesday, May 4, 2005 Senate Bill 607 (Thompson) is the Capital Budget Act of 2005-2006. The measure would cap the maximum principal amount of additional debt to be incurred during the 2005-2006 Fiscal Year at $681,000,000, in accordance with the following: $355,000,000 for buildings and structures; $150,000,000 for transportation assistance; $165,000,000 for redevelopment assistance; and, $11,000,000 for flood control. Passed: 45-0. Senate Resolution 102 (Robbins) designates the week of May 1 through 7, 2005 as "Vietnam Veteran Remembrance Week" in Pennsylvania. Adopted: 45-0. Senate Resolution 109 (Wenger) expresses the support of the Senate of Pennsylvania for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and encourages the organization in its efforts to grant the wishes of children with-life threatening medical conditions. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 111 (Rafferty) recognizes May 8, 2005 as the 60th anniversary of "Victory in Europe Day" or "V-E Day." Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 112 (Wenger) declares that May 8 through 14, 2005 be observed as "National Nursing Home Week" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote. Senate Resolution 113 (Earll) designates the month of June 2005 as "Manufacturing Month" in Pennsylvania in celebration of the Manufacturers' Association of Northwest Pennsylvania's 100th anniversary. Adopted by Voice Vote. Executive Session Laura S. Fisher – Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Confirmed: 45-0.
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