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Bill > HB477
PA HB477
PA HB477In nomination of candidates, providing for background checks for candidates for school district office.
summary
Introduced
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
In Committee
02/04/2025
02/04/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal, special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates, primary and election expenses and election contests; creating and defining membership of county boards of elections; imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth, courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners; imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying, revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to elections," in nomination of candidates, providing for background checks for candidates for school district office.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to require candidates for school district office to undergo comprehensive background checks before running for election. Specifically, candidates must submit criminal history records from the Pennsylvania State Police, a certification from the Department of Human Services regarding any pending or founded child abuse investigations, and federal criminal history record information obtained through fingerprint analysis. Candidates will be deemed ineligible for office if they have been convicted of certain serious criminal offenses within the previous five years, including violent crimes like homicide, aggravated assault, kidnapping, sexual offenses, child abuse, and drug-related felonies. Additionally, candidates will be ineligible if they appear on the National Sex Offender Registry or are identified as a child abuse perpetrator. The bill mandates that ineligible candidates cannot appear on school district election ballots, and the Department of State is tasked with developing regulations to implement these new requirements. The new background check provisions will apply to elections held 180 days after the bill's effective date, which is immediate upon passage.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (20)
Jeanne McNeill (D)*,
Lisa Borowski (D),
Danilo Burgos (D),
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D),
Scott Conklin (D),
Mark Gillen (R),
José Giral (D),
Roni Green (D),
Charity Grimm Krupa (R),
Jim Haddock (D),
Carol Hill-Evans (D),
Tarik Khan (D),
Steve Malagari (D),
Ed Neilson (D),
Danielle Otten (D),
Chris Pielli (D),
Tarah Probst (D),
Nikki Rivera (D),
Ben Sanchez (D),
Mike Schlossberg (D),
Last Action
Referred to Education (on 02/04/2025)
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