Bill introduced by Rep. Rob Kauffman would give Scotland School for Veterans' Children at least another year

If enacted, the bill will keep the school open at least another year. The study would have to be complete and recommendations presented to the Senate president pro tem, both the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and the House speaker no later than April 30 next year.

Once the report was submitted to the Legislature, it would then take legislative action to determine the school’s future.

Kauffman said he and the other bill sponsors had been looking at introducing the bill for some time, but were waiting to see what would happen to a similar bill proposed by Sen. Robert Mellow.

Mellow’s bill addresses a moratorium for the closing of both the Scranton School for the Deaf and SSVC.

"With Mellow’s bill not moving, we decided to go ahead with (ours)," Kauffman said.

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness almost as soon as it was introduced Friday.

Meanwhile, that committee will consider a resolution by Democrat Mike Cohen that would call for a closer look at Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed closing of the school the end of this month.

The resolution, if approved by the committee, would not be binding on the legislature or the governor, however.

The Cohen resolution is to be considered during a hearing Wednesday.

SSVC Foundation President Frank Frame is trying to rally support for that resolution, asking supporters to show up at the state Capitol building for the 10 a.m. hearing.

"We need supporters in attendance," he said in an e-mail memo.

The hearing starts at 10 a.m. in Room 60 of the Capitol building’s east wing, near the cafeteria.

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Vicky Taylor can be reached at 262-4753 or [email protected].

About the bill

The study proposed in the bill would:

– Identify all existing federal, state and county funding streams for the school;

– Identify the fiscal impact to the state if the school remains open and operated by the state;

– Examine the efficiency of the school’s operations;

– Determine specific methods to produce a more cost-effective operation of the school;

– Examine the issues articulated in support of and in opposition to the proposal to close the school;

– Identify what cost savings would be realized by the state in closing the school;

– Identify methods on how the state can best continue providing fiscal support to the school;

– Identify other issues the committee deems appropriate.