Oct. 03, 2023
HARRISBURG – The House State Government Committee on Tuesday unanimously 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. The lawmakers issued the following statement after the vote:
“We are encouraged to see this bill advancing because these universities receive hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding each year, and the taxpayers who foot that bill deserve to know how their money is being spent.
“This is just a first step toward establishing the type of transparency and accountability we need from these institutions. We call on leaders in both the House and Senate to ensure this measure is passed by the General Assembly AND signed into law before we are asked to vote on the funding for these universities.”
Funding for the state-related universities – which include the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, Temple University and Lincoln University – is one element of the 2023-24 state budget that has not yet been completed. A primary concern has been that only Lincoln committed to freezing tuition for its students, while the other institutions indicated their intent to raise tuition regardless of their state appropriation.
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.
Collectively, the four state-related universities received more than $600 million in state funding in the 2022-23 state budget.
Representative Ryan Warner
52nd Legislative District
Representative Kate A. Klunk
169th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Warner Media Contact: Patricia Hippler
717.772.9846 / phippler@pahousegop.com
Klunk Media Contact: Katelin Morrison
717.260.6502 / kmorrison@pahousegop.com