Pennsylvania SB 152: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, in general budget implementation, further providing for Department of Human Services.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 99
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 152
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, HAYWOOD, STREET, COLLETT, KEARNEY,
SCHWANK, SAVAL, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE AND KANE, JANUARY 22, 2025
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JANUARY 22, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for the study of intergenerational poverty;
establishing the Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System,
the Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic Insecurity
and the Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination and
Economic Security; providing for a strategic plan and for
reports; and imposing duties on the Department of Human
Services and the Secretary of the Budget.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Intergenerational Poverty
Section 301. Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System.
Section 302. Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic
Insecurity.
Section 303. Powers and duties.
Section 304. Report.
Chapter 5. Poverty Elimination and Economic Security Strategic
Planning
Section 501. The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination
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and Economic Security.
Section 502. Strategic plan to address poverty and economic
insecurity.
Section 503. Commission reports.
Section 504. Duties of Secretary of the Budget.
Chapter 7. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 701. (Reserved).
Section 702. (Reserved).
Section 703. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the
Intergenerational Poverty Act.
Section 102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Antipoverty program." A program with the primary goal of
lifting individuals out of poverty and improving economic
opportunities for individuals that operates, in whole or in
part, utilizing Federal or State money.
"Asset poverty." The inability of an individual to access
wealth resources sufficient to provide for basic needs for a
period of three months.
"Child." An individual who is under 18 years of age.
"Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty
Elimination and Economic Security established under section
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501(a).
"Commonwealth poverty measure." A uniform method for
measuring poverty in this Commonwealth that considers indicators
and measures, other than traditional income-based measures of
poverty, that provide a detailed picture of low-income and
poverty populations and meaningfully account for other factors
contributing to poverty, and may include:
(1) access to health care, housing, proper nutrition and
quality education;
(2) the number of individuals kept out of poverty by
government supports;
(3) the number of individuals who are impoverished due
to medical expenses, child-care expenses or work expenses;
(4) the rates of food insecurity;
(5) the number of individuals in asset poverty;
(6) the number of disconnected youth;
(7) the teen birth rate;
(8) the participation rate in Federal and State
antipoverty programs for all eligible populations;
(9) the number of individuals who do not use a bank or
similar financial institution;
(10) regional differences in costs of living;
(11) income necessary to achieve economic security and a
livable standard of living in different regions of this
Commonwealth;
(12) the impact of rising income inequality;
(13) the impact of the digital divide; and
(14) the impact of trauma on intergenerational poverty.
"Cycle of poverty." The set of factors or events by which
the long-term poverty of an individual is likely to continue and
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be experienced by each child of the individual when the child
becomes an adult unless there is outside intervention.
"Deep poverty." An economic condition where an individual or
family has a total annual income that is less than 50% of the
Federal poverty level for the individual or family as provided
in the annual report of the United States Census Bureau on
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United
States.
"Department." The Department of Human Services of the
Commonwealth.
"Deprivation." A lack of adequate nutrition, health care,
housing or other resources to provide for basic needs.
"Digital divide." The gap between individuals, households,
businesses and geographic areas at different socioeconomic
levels related to access to information and communication
technologies, including the imbalance in physical access to
technology and the resources, education and skills needed to
effectively use computer technology and the Internet for a wide
variety of activities.
"Disconnected you