FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2005
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Senator Rafferty's Legislation to Amend Public School Code Passed in Early July

(Harrisburg, PA) State Senator John C. Rafferty's legislation to amend the Public School Code to require Pennsylvania school board officials to release their budget for public review and duplication and require detailed line-item budget information provided to the public prior to approval by the school board, was included in H.B. 628 that passed the General Assembly in early July. 

Senator Rafferty worked with the Chairmen of the Senate Education Committee to draft an amendment to the House bill to provide better accountability by the general public when school boards are considering the school district's budget. 

The legislation will require the school board to make their proposed budget available for public inspection and duplication twenty days prior to the date set for adoption of the budget.  Additionally, the legislation will require the school district's budget to list all line item expenditures in the format approved by the Department of Education and will prohibit school districts from approving a budget and expending money for operations and salaries until the Department of Education has certified that the school board complied with the law. 

Rafferty said, "This new law is the direct result of working with the taxpayers in the school district of Coatesville after hearing about their frustration in getting substantive and timely budget information from the school district. However, this change will benefit the taxpayers in all of Pennsylvania."  He added, "I particularly would like to thank the Coatesville Taxpayers Alliance for working with my office on this important issue."