HARRISBURG -- Parents, grandparents and guardians who falsely enroll children in a school district would face some costly penalties under legislation passed Tuesday by the House.

The bill -- approved 184-12 and headed to the Senate for consideration -- cracks down on out-of-town residents who file false affidavits stipulating their children are residents of a school district so the child can attend school there. The bill amends the Public School Code so it's likely to attract all sorts of education-related amendments as it moves through the legislative pipeline.

The bill would make falsifying an affidavit a third degree misdemeanor and provide for fines up to $300, payment of court costs and mandatory reimbursement to the school district for the cost of a child's education while attending school. In addition, once officials determine the information contained in an affidavit is false, the student would be expelled from the school. Parents would have opportunity to appeal an expulsion.

Bill sponsor Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-32, said he is concerned about students from the Pittsburgh city school district trying to sneak illegally into suburban schools.

It is a problem nationwide with wealthy school districts or districts with good academic reputations being targeted.

But the issue also resonates in the Poconos where school districts are on the lookout for illegally enrolled students who actually live in New York or New Jersey.

The bill drew opposition from Rep. Curtis Thomas, D-181, and other urban lawmakers, who said the issue that needs to be addressed is providing equal opportunities for education for the rich and poor in the public schools.

Curtis said he doesn't favor punishing poor parents who are desperate to obtain a better education for their child.

Some parents submit bogus apartment leases. Some list a grandparent who lives in the district as a child's legal guardian even though the child doesn't live with the grandparent.

DeLuca said he heard stories of kids being dropped off at bus stops along routes established by a district. He said schools incur added costs to educate illegally enrolled students which adds to the burden of taxpayers who live in the district.

"It's really unfair to the taxpayers of the district," added DeLuca.

"This is one remedy for it." The legislation provides that a resident of a school district can enroll a non-resident student to school if they support him as their own child.

In these cases, the student qualifies for free schooling in the district.

The resident would be required to provide legal documentation acknowledging guardianship and stating he is supporting the child on a permanent basis and not simply for the school term.

Under state law, if parents or guardians want to have a student attend school in a district they don't live in, the district can charge annual tuition.