Pennsylvania HB 1113: An Act establishing the Office of New Pennsylvanians and providing for its powers and duties; establishing the Office of New Pennsylvanians Restricted Account; and establishing the Advisory Committee to Office of New Pennsylvanians and providing for its powers, duties and membership.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1235
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1113
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SMITH-WADE-EL, HOHENSTEIN, VENKAT, SANCHEZ, RABB,
ISAACSON, HILL-EVANS, BENHAM, SCHLOSSBERG, KHAN, FIEDLER,
BELLMON, OTTEN, WAXMAN, GREEN, KAZEEM, GIRAL, FRANKEL,
RIVERA, CURRY, KENYATTA, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, MADDEN, BOYD,
KRAJEWSKI, KINKEAD AND N. NELSON, APRIL 3, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 3, 2025
AN ACT
Establishing the Office of New Pennsylvanians and providing for
its powers and duties; establishing the Office of New
Pennsylvanians Restricted Account; and establishing the
Advisory Committee to Office of New Pennsylvanians and
providing for its powers, duties and membership.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Legislative policy and declarations.
Section 103. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Office of New Pennsylvanians
Section 301. Establishment of office.
Section 302. Powers and duties of office.
Section 303. Office of New Pennsylvanians Restricted Account.
Chapter 5. Advisory Committee to Office of New Pennsylvanians
Section 501. Establishment of advisory committee.
Section 502. Membership.
Section 503. Powers and duties of advisory committee.
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Chapter 7. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 701. Applicability of other statutes.
Section 702. 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 Office of New
Pennsylvanians Act.
Section 102. Legislative policy and declarations.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) According to the United States Census Bureau, in
2018, Pennsylvania ranked 42nd among the 50 states in
population growth since 2010, increasing only 0.86%.
(2) In 2019, Pennsylvania's 893,167 foreign-born
individuals comprised 7% of this Commonwealth's population,
an increase of 75.7% since 2000, compared to only 1.2% growth
in the United-States-born population.
(3) Throughout this Commonwealth's history, immigrants
have played a critical role in this Commonwealth's economic,
cultural and political growth and success.
(4) Policies that promote the attraction, retention and
inclusion of immigrants and refugees will help enhance this
Commonwealth's economy and diversity, thereby improving the
lives of all residents and helping to remove barriers that
may undermine immigrants' full potential.
(5) Immigrants currently fill skilled positions
throughout this Commonwealth's economy and are a vital part
of this Commonwealth's economy and tax base. In 2019,
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immigrant business owners in this Commonwealth generated more
than $1,700,000,000 in business revenue and immigrant
spending power increased to $24,900,000,000.
(6) Forty percent of immigrants in this Commonwealth
have a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or graduate
degree, compared to 32% of United-States-born Pennsylvanians.
(7) Organizations are providing leadership in this
Commonwealth's immigrant integration efforts through programs
and services that connect newcomers and longtime
Pennsylvanians to economic opportunity.
(8) It is essential for this Commonwealth's future that
skilled, energetic and entrepreneurial immigrants are
attracted, retained and integrated. Immigrants help to
bolster this Commonwealth's economy and strengthen the
social, civic and cultural fabric.
(9) States enforce and provide for many services,
licenses and educational and economic opportunities that make
it imperative to coordinate the work of state agencies,
leverage relationships with partner and nonprofit
organizations and recommend policies and programs that
support immigrant inclusion. Immigrants on the path to full
civic and economic participation benefit from a welcoming
environment and policies that:
(i) Increase access to English language instruction
and workforce development and employment.
(ii) Reduce exploitation and fraud against
immigrants.
(iii) Connect new Pennsylvanians to legal services
and assist on the path to naturalization.
(iv) Provide individuals with meaningful access to
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Commonwealth resources and opportunities regardless of
English proficiency.
(10) In recognition of these facts and in promotion of
the stated goals, the creation of the Office of New
Pennsylvanians will help improve the lives and economic
prosperity of immigrants and Pennsylvanians generally.
Section 103. 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:
"Advisory committee." The Advisory Committee to Office of
New Pennsylvanians established in section 501.
"Department