Oct. 30, 2023

HARRISBURG – The House of Representatives Monday approved legislation sponsored by Reps. Kate Klunk (R-Hanover) and Ryan Warner (R-Fayette) that would make the Commonwealth’s four state-related universities subject to the state’s Right-to-Know Law and increase transparency.

The representatives issued the following statement after the vote:

“We are encouraged by the bipartisan support our bill has received in the House and hope the Senate will act quickly to approve the bill. It is important this piece of legislation is signed into law before a vote on the funding for state-related universities is called up as Pennsylvania residents urgently deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent.

“Good governance of taxpayer dollars does not mean secrecy. With the House’s passage of House Bill 1556, we’re one step closer to establishing accountability and transparency for state-related, taxpayer-funded universities in Pennsylvania.”

Funding for the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, Temple University and Lincoln University is one element of the 2023-24 state budget that remains outstanding.

While the state-related institutions are exempt from certain provisions of the state’s Right-to-Know law, universities within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, community colleges and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency fall fully under the law. Klunk and Warner feel Pennsylvania’s state-related universities should be held to the same standards to ensure public trust.

Collectively, the four state-related universities received more than $600 million in state funding in the last fiscal year.

Representative Kate A. Klunk
169th Legislative District

Representative Ryan Warner
52nd Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

 
Bill to Increase Transparency for State-Related Universities Passes House, Say Klunk, Warner
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