The Senate Education Committee approved on Tuesday a bill aimed at expanding job training opportunities to more Pennsylvania residents.
Under current law, Private Licensed Schools can only create branch campuses in the same county as the primary site. If a school wants to open an out-of-county location, it must secure another independent license.
Senate Bill 456 would remove this restriction and allow schools to establish branch campuses in nearby counties and other locations within 60 miles of the primary location.
“Pennsylvania is fortunate to have a number of great schools that offer a pathway for students to find rewarding careers, but their ability to offer these programs is very tightly restricted by county borders,” Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Beaver/Washington/Greene), a prime sponsor of the bill, said. “Expanding the reach of these job training programs will give even more Pennsylvanians the chance to train for high-paying, family-sustaining jobs.”
Sen. Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) is also a prime sponsor of the bill, which now heads to the full Senate for consideration.