HARRISBURG – Responding to recent anti-Israel protests that have led to Jewish students and faculty being harassed and prevented from attending classes on college campuses, Philadelphia County Rep. Martina White and Bucks County Rep. Kristin Marcell announced two measures to address the issue. White’s bill would prohibit students convicted of ethnic intimidation, institutional vandalism, theft, desecration, sale of venerated objects, or institutional trespass from receiving PHEAA grants. Under current law, PHEAA is authorized to deny grants to students convicted of misdemeanors involving moral turpitude or felonies. It would extend the prohibition to students convicted of specific unlawful actions related to protests. Marcell’s bill creates the crime of institutional trespass, which addresses trespassing in sensitive areas such as houses of worship, cemeteries, and schools. While current law provides additional criminal penalties for vandalism against these institutions, the measure recognizes that trespassing on these institutions deserves additional punishment. The lawmakers say they have no issue with those who protest within the law; however, unlawful protests interfering with the right of other students to pursue their education will not be tolerated.
REP. KRISTIN MARCELL
REP. MARTINA WHITE