Bill > SB459

This bill establishes the Statewide Imagination Library Program in Pennsylvania, which aims to promote reading and learning for children under five years old. The program, inspired by Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, will provide free monthly age-appropriate books to children in participating counties. The bill creates a restricted account in the General Fund to support the initiative, allowing the State Treasurer to accept various forms of funding, including appropriations, gifts, grants, and donations. Qualified local entities can receive funding from the account, with a requirement for a dollar-for-dollar match (which can be waived in cases of financial hardship). The Department of Education will administer the program in coordination with a nonprofit organization, overseeing daily operations, promoting local Imagination Library programs, developing community engagement initiatives, and creating public awareness campaigns. The department will also be responsible for soliciting donations, managing local program costs, and submitting annual reports to the General Assembly detailing program participation, financial transactions, and the number of children enrolled and books distributed. The program will take effect 60 days after the bill's passage, with the goal of encouraging early childhood literacy across the state.

Education

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=459