Pennsylvania HB 2047: An Act establishing the Local News Fellowship Program; imposing duties on an administering institution; and providing for administration of the Local News Fellowship Program.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2622 PRINTER'S NO. 2874
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2047
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY RABB, SANCHEZ, WAXMAN, KHAN, RIVERA, FREEMAN,
K.HARRIS, SMITH-WADE-EL AND WARREN, NOVEMBER 18, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
AN ACT
Establishing the Local News Fellowship Program; imposing duties
on an administering institution; and providing for
administration of the Local News Fellowship Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Local News
Fellowship Program Act.
Section 2. 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:
"Administering institution." An institution designated by
the Governor within the State System of Higher Education that is
reasonably qualified to administer the program or the State
Library of Pennsylvania.
"Civic information needs." The information resources,
including local journalism and communication infrastructure,
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needed by a community for civic engagement and participation.
"Community-based newsroom." A nonprofit or independent media
organization that meets all of the following criteria:
(1) Maintains its principal place of business within
this Commonwealth.
(2) Primarily serves a local or regional audience.
(3) Produces original reporting that advances civic
engagement, public accountability or community-informed
journalism.
"Fellow." An early-career journalist who is selected to
participate in the program under section 4(a).
"Host newsroom." A community-based newsroom that applies for
and receives approval from the administering institution to host
a fellow under the program.
"Program." The Local News Fellowship Program established
under section 3(a).
Section 3. Establishment of program.
(a) Establishment.--The Local News Fellowship Program is
established within the administering institution to expand
access to high-quality local journalism, support the development
of early-career and mid-career journalists and strengthen the
capacity of community-based newsrooms throughout this
Commonwealth SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF MONEY APPROPRIATED
FOR THIS PURPOSE. Within 90 days of the effective date of this
subsection, the Governor shall designate the administering
institution and transmit notice of the designation to the
Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(b) Program components.--The TO THE EXTENT MONEY IS
AVAILABLE, THE program shall include the following core
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components:
(1) The administering institution shall assign fellows
to host newsrooms in accordance with the selection process
under section 4.
(2) Fellows shall receive fair compensation, mentorship
and access to training opportunities to enhance their
journalistic skills and community engagement.
(3) Priority shall be given to placements that serve
communities with significant civic information needs,
including rural areas, communities of color and immigrant
populations.
(4) The program shall encourage fellows to build lasting
ties to the host newsroom and the community served.
Section 4. Selection and placement of fellows.
(a) Selection of fellows.--The administering institution
shall establish a competitive selection process for fellows,
which may include criteria such as academic or professional
background, demonstrated commitment to public-interest
journalism and alignment with the goals of the program.
(b) Approval of host newsrooms.--The administering
institution shall develop and post criteria for the designation
of host newsrooms on the administering institution's publicly
accessible Internet website. The criteria shall include all of
the following:
(1) The newsroom's capacity to provide editorial
oversight, mentorship and professional development.
(2) The newsroom's alignment with the goals of the
program.
(3) The demonstrated civic information needs of the
community served.
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(c) Placement guidelines.--In making fellowship placements,
the administering institution shall seek geographic and
demographic diversity and shall prioritize underserved
communities with limited access to original local news and civic
information needs.
Section 5. Administration of program.
(a) Administration.--The administering institution shall
administer the program ONLY TO THE EXTENT MONEY IS AVAILABLE and
may partner or contract with a nonprofit organization that has
experience in journalism education, civic media or public-
interest reporting to implement