HARRISBURG – Butler County Rep. Aaron Bernstine introduced an amendment to Senate Bill 1283 requiring Penn State provide information about the Joe Paterno statue which had been displayed at the State College campus. Paterno was head football coach for over four decades. Six months after his death, the university removed the statue outside Beaver Stadium and stored in an unnamed secure location. University officials claimed it had become a “source of division and obstacle to healing” after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Bernstine, a Penn State grad, said the statue symbolized Paterno’s many contributions on and off the gridiron. He added the university is sending a mixed message by treating Paterno as a hero at the campus library where a plaque is displayed due to the millions of dollars he donated, but a villain at the stadium where he coached the Nittany Lions to two national collegiate championships and five undefeated seasons. The amendment would require Penn State to submit a report to the House and Senate Education Committees about the location of the statue and the method of storage and protection of the statue in order to receive its annual state appropriation. Senate Bill 1283 provides funding for state-related universities like Penn State for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
REP. AARON BERNSTINE