Legislation requiring Pennsylvania schools to quickly notify parents, guardians, and staff when a weapon is discovered on school grounds or during school activities is headed to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk.
The bill heads to the governor after passing both chambers with bipartisan support recently.
The bill aims to increase transparency around safety threats, ensuring that families and school personnel are informed regardless of whether the incident results in a student’s expulsion, according to lawmakers who supported it.
Currently, state law mandates that school districts only report weapon incidents to the Pennsylvania Department of Education if an expulsion is issued.
“Every parent deserves to know when there’s a safety threat at their child’s school, especially one involving a weapon,” said State Sen. Christine Tartaglione, a Democrat from Philadelphia, a sponsor of the Senate version of the bill. “Right now, if a weapon is found but doesn’t lead to an expulsion, families may never be informed. That’s unacceptable. Safety shouldn’t be a secret.”
The legislation requires timely notification to families and staff whenever a weapon is found, regardless of who brought it — a student, staff member, or visitor.
The bill will apply to public, nonpublic, and private schools across the state.
“Parents send their children to school with the expectation for them to receive a quality education in a safe environment, and they deserve to know what’s happening,” said co-sponsor State Sen. Jarrett Coleman, who represents part of Upper Bucks County.
The legislation was introduced following an incident in the Lehigh Valley where parents learned a weapon had been found at a school only after seeing local news reports and a police statement.
“This bill doesn’t point fingers or create panic. It’s a commonsense, bipartisan solution that builds trust and transparency between schools, parents, and staff,” Tartaglione said.
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