Pennsylvania House Bill HB1002

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/24/25
• Refer: 3/24/25

Caption

In student supports, providing for parental notification of certain incidents required.

Summary

HB1002 would amend Pennsylvania’s Public School Code to require each school entity, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, to adopt and publish a policy for notifying parents or legal guardians when a student threatens suicide or is involved in a bullying incident. The policy must be shared with school employees and families, posted on the school’s public website, and may be based on a model policy developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. When a school notifies a parent or guardian under the policy, it must keep a record verifying the notification, provide suicide prevention materials, and include information on limiting access to lethal means such as firearms and medication. The bill also gives students the right to request a copy of the related record, and allows graduates to request expungement of that record. The Department of Education would be required to create a model notification policy and compile and post youth suicide awareness and prevention resources for schools, including nonpublic schools upon request.

Impact

The bill would add a new section to the Public School Code of 1949 governing student supports and parental notification procedures. It creates new duties for school entities to adopt notification policies, maintain confidential records exempt from the Right-to-Know Law, provide prevention materials, and make certain records available to students or expunge them after graduation. It also directs the Department of Education to develop model guidance and educational resources on youth suicide prevention and lethal-means safety, affecting public school districts and potentially nonpublic schools that request the materials.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill’s sponsors and subject matter, the measure appears aimed at student safety, parental involvement, and suicide prevention, which are generally framed as protective and supportive policy goals. However, without recorded discussion or votes, the overall sentiment cannot be measured beyond the bill’s apparent preventive intent.

Contention

The bill’s likely points of contention would center on how broadly schools must notify parents, how incidents of suicide threats and bullying are defined and documented, and whether the confidentiality provisions strike the right balance between student privacy and parental access. Another possible issue is the requirement to provide information about limiting access to firearms and medication, which could draw differing views depending on perspectives on suicide prevention and family rights. Because there are no transcripts or votes, no specific member or stakeholder positions are documented in the provided material.