Pennsylvania HB 2216: An Act authorizing the Department of General Services, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and with the approval of the Governor, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, to quitclaim and release to the United States of America any right, title or interest it may have with respect to a certain use restriction and a related reversionary interest related to certain portions of Valley Forge National Historical Park situate in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; authorizing the release of Project 70 restrictions on certain land owned by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in Overfield Township, Wyoming County; authorizing the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to the City of Philadelphia a right-of-way easement situate in the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, in exchange for improvements to Benjamin Rush State Park and monetary consideration to the Commonwealth to be used toward the acquisition and conveyance of a tract of land to be added to French Creek State Park; authorizing the transfer of administrative jurisdiction of portions of State park lands in exchange for certain lands situate in New Vernon Township, Mercer County, from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to the Department of Transportation for anticipated highway improvement projects; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Agriculture and the Governor, to grant and convey to Joshua R. Snyder a certain tract of land located in Windsor Township, Berks County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey certain lands and improvements situate in Haverford Township, Delaware County, to Carelink Community Support Services of PA, Inc.; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Governor, to grant and convey to The Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace, certain lands, buildings and improvements, situate in Boggs Township, Centre County, and further authorizing the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to transfer to The Roland Curtin Foundation for the Preservation of Eagle Furnace its buildings located on adjacent property leased from the United States Department of the Army; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to Franklin Township, Greene County, certain lands situate in Franklin Township, Greene County; authorizing the Department of General Services to convey to the Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, certain lands and improvements thereon, situate in Oil City, Venango County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, to convey to the Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, certain lands and improvements thereon, situate in Oil City, Venango County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Transportation and the Governor, to grant and convey to the Bear Creek Township Volunteer Hose Company an access easement and two storm water easements from certain lands situate in Bear Creek Township, Luzerne County; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to release a portion of a use restriction affecting certain real property situate in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, which the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania previously conveyed to the School District of the City of Harrisburg; authorizing the sale and transfer of title for a 0.232 acre of Project 70 lands owned by Springettsbury Township, York County, to the Department of Transportation for highway right-of-way; authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Human Services and the Governor, to grant and convey to the University of Pittsburgh a certain permanent easement through and across lands of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and to accept from the University of Pittsburgh a certain permanent easement through and across lands of the University of Pittsburgh in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County; authorizing the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey certain lands and improvements situate in the 47th Ward of the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, to New Freedom Theater, Inc.; and authorizing the State Armory Board to enter into such agreements as may be necessary to exchange with a branch of the United States Armed Forces the right of occupancy in, use of and obligations belonging to certain proprieties owned, managed or occupied by either the State Armory Board or a branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Status: Act No. 80 of 2024 (as of 2024-07-17)

State: Pennsylvania · Session: 2023-2024 · Bill: HB 2216

Sponsors: Tim Briggs, Joe Webster, Malcolm Kenyatta

PRINTER'S NO. 2910
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2216
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY PROBST, HILL-EVANS, MAYES, WAXMAN, KINKEAD,
HOWARD, RIVERA, SANCHEZ, HOHENSTEIN, D. WILLIAMS, BELLMON,
GREEN AND BOYD, FEBRUARY 11, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 12, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juvenile matters,
providing for special immigrant juvenile status predicate
orders.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) In 1990, the Congress of the United States created
an immigration visa category known as Special Immigrant
Juvenile Status, which extends protections to certain
vulnerable youth.
(2) Prior to seeking this Federal immigration visa, an
applicant must first be in possession of a state court order
containing certain factual determinations.
(3) Under the Federal statutory scheme, state courts do
not determine a youth's eligibility for Special Immigrant
Juvenile Status.
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(4) Instead, state courts are tasked with making the
following predicate factual findings regarding a juvenile:
(i) Whether reunification of the juvenile with one
or both of the juvenile's parents is not viable due to
abuse, abandonment, neglect or similar basis under state
law.
(ii) Whether it would not be in the best interest of
the juvenile to be returned to the country of nationality
or last habitual residence of the juvenile or juvenile's
parent.
(5) Orders containing the factual determinations under
paragraph (4) are referred to as Special Immigrant Juvenile
Status Predicate Orders.
Section 2. Chapter 63 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subchapter to read:
SUBCHAPTER H
SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS PREDICATE ORDERS
Sec.
6391. Definitions.
6392. Jurisdiction.
6393. Nonviability of reunification.
6394. Best interest presumption.
6395. Burden of proof and production.
6396. Confidentiality.
6397. Sua sponte authority.
6398. Abuse of discretion.
6399. Service or notice.
§ 6391. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Juvenile." An individual under 21 years of age.
"Juvenile court." Orphans' court, custody court, juvenile
court or any other court having jurisdiction under the laws of
this Commonwealth to make determinations relevant to the well-
being, welfare or best interest of a juvenile.
"Predicate factual findings." The factual determinations
made by a juvenile court regarding a juvenile as to:
(1) Whether reunification of the juvenile with one or
both of the juvenile's parents is not viable due to abuse,
abandonment, neglect or similar basis under State law.
(2) Whether it would not be in the best interest of the
juvenile to be returned to the country of nationality or last
habitual residence of the juvenile or juvenile's parent.
"Predicate order." An order issued in connection with a
juvenile court proceeding containing the predicate factual
findings necessary to enable an immigrant juvenile to apply for
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
§ 6392. Jurisdiction.
(a) Juvenile court authority.--A juvenile court shall have
jurisdiction to enter a predicate order regarding an individual
but only if the individual is a juvenile.
(b) Predicate factual findings.--
(1) The predicate factual findings regarding a juvenile
need not be made at the same time or contained in the same
order awarding custody, appointing a guardian, adjudicating a
juvenile dependent or delinquent or granting any other form
of protection to safeguard the well-being, welfare or best
interests of the juvenile.
(2) In making predicate factual findings, a juvenile
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court shall use the definitions of abandonment, abuse,
neglect and best interest routinely applied under the
relevant law of this Commonwealth.
§ 6393. Nonviability of reunification.
If a juvenile court finds that a juvenile has been abandoned,
abused or neglected by one or both of the juvenile's parents,
the juvenile court shall issue a predicate order finding that
reunification of the juvenile with the juvenile's offending
parent or parents is not viable due to the abandonment, abuse or
neglect.
§ 6394. Best interest presumption.
If a juvenile court awards custody, appoints a guardian,
adjudicates a juvenile dependent or delinquent or grants any
other form of protection to safeguard the well-being, welfare or
best interests of an immigrant juvenile, it shall be presumed
that it is not in the best interest of the juvenile to be
returned to the country of nation

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