Court Opinion

ID: 9637471
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 15:07:19.35527+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:56.266939
License: Public Domain

CONCURRING STATEMENT BY
KELLY, J.:
¶ 1 I join in all aspects of the majority’s thoughtful and thorough opinion. I write separately to note my interpretation of the legislature’s intent in passing Section 6317. As the learned majority notes, Section 6317 was revised from “within 1000 feet of a public or private elementary or secondary school” to “within 1000 feet of the real property on which is located a public, private or parochial school or a college or a university.” (Majority Opinion at 57) (quoting Commonwealth v. Drummond, 775 A.2d 849, 856 (Pa.Super.2001) (en banc), appeal denied, 567 Pa. 756, 790 A.2d 1013 (2001)). Because the trial court specifically stated it believed the legislature intended the statute to apply only to elementary and secondary schools, I would emphasize the legislature specifically removed the “elementary and secondary school” requirement and instead inserted the broader “public, private or parochial school” language. Compare 204 Pa.Code § 303.9(b)(1) (1996), with 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6317(a). Furthermore, the legislature clearly intended to expand the scope of the statute by adding colleges, universities, and playgrounds to the statute.
¶ 2 I also note that even under the older “elementary or secondary school” re*59quirement, pre-schools would qualify. In Section 5311 of the Education Code, our legislature specifically states: “The term ‘elementary school’ means a day or residential school which provides preschool, kindergarten or elementary education in the Commonwealth, including both public and nonpublic schools.” 24 P.S. § 5311 (emphasis added). Accordingly, I join my learned colleagues in determining St. John’s pre-school falls within the scope of Section 6317.6

. However, I note my concern about an issue regarding this statute, as raised previously by my esteemed colleague, President Judge Del Sole. In Commonwealth v. Hinds, 775 A.2d 859 (Pa.Super.2001), appeal denied, 567 Pa. 757, 790 A.2d 1014 (2001), Judge Del Sole noted in dissent: "[I]n many places, it is not uncommon for institutions of learning to lease commercial space to accommodate students. A literal reading of the statute would extend the 'zone’ to 1000 feet around a commercial building even if its use as a school is not generally known.” Id. at 868 (Del Sole, J., dissenting). I joined the majority in Hinds because the appellant stipulated his apartment was within 1,000 feet of a school, and the issue regarding notice of nearby schools was not raised by the appellant. See id. at 861. Similarly, I note the issue of notice was not raised in the instant case. Nonetheless, I agree with the theory behind Judge Del Sole's dissent, and I emphasize that I join in vacating the judgment of sentence because the only issue before us is whether pre-schools are within the scope of Section 6317.