School Report Card Bill Now Law
Students, parents and taxpayers will now be able to see how their school district is performing compared to similar districts, thanks to a new law authored by Rep. Jess Stairs (R-59). The legislation creates School Report Cards, which will now be a regular offering on the Department of Education Web site. The report card is a school profile for each school entity. The Department of Education will determine what is in the report card and can conduct audits of the data submitted. The department will also be responsible for publicizing the existence of this information as a resource for all Pennsylvanians.
Allen’s Shaken Baby Syndrome Education Bill Signed Into Law
New parents and day care providers in Pennsylvania will be better educated about the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome, thanks to the efforts of Rep. Bob Allen (R-125). The new law establishes an education program for new parents and child care providers to raise awareness of what constitutes man episode of shaken baby, the long-term ramifications, factors that place parents and other caregivers at risk for shaking an infant, and methods of dealing with stress to help avoid shaken baby. Shaken baby most often results when parents or caregivers are frustrated with a child who will not stop crying, although other problems, such as toilet training or feeding difficulties, may also trigger an incident.
Governor Signs Brooks’ Bill Increasing Penalties for Abusing Service Animals
Those convicted of abusing guide dogs will now face stiffer penalties under legislation sponsored by former Rep. Wallis Brooks (R-149) that was signed into law by the governor this week. The law upgrades the charge of attempting to or killing, maiming or disfiguring a service dog from a second-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree misdemeanor. With this law, the jail time will increase from a maximum of two years to a possible five years, and the fine will increase from a maximum of $5,000 to a possible $10,000. Those convicted of this offense also will be required to make reparations for veterinary costs of treating a service dog and, if necessary, the cost of obtaining and training a replacement dog. According to the Guide Dogs of America, it costs approximately $25,000 or more to replace a trained guide dog.
