HB 1046 — An Act establishing the Pennsylvania Poet Laureate and the Pennsylvania Poet Laureate Nomination Committee; and providing for their powers and duties.

PRINTER'S NO.   1135

                    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        HOUSE BILL
                        No. 1046
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, JAMES, HILL-EVANS, SAMUELSON, KHAN,
        WEBSTER, VENKAT, HOWARD, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, BRENNAN, STEELE,
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SCHLOSSBERG, HADDOCK, CIRESI, KENYATTA,
        GUENST AND SHUSTERMAN, MARCH 25, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 25, 2025


                                   AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Pennsylvania Poet Laureate and the Pennsylvania
 2      Poet Laureate Nomination Committee; and providing for their
 3      powers and duties.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6   Section 1.   Short title.
 7      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
 8   Poet Laureate Act.
 9   Section 2.   Definitions.
10      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12   context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      "Committee."   The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate Nomination
14   Committee established by this act.
15      "Poet laureate."   The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate established
16   by this act.
17   Section 3.   Pennsylvania Poet Laureate.
 1      (a)   Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate is
 2   established.
 3      (b)   Appointment.--The poet laureate shall be appointed by
 4   the Governor from a list of individuals nominated by the
 5   committee as provided in section 4.
 6      (c)   Term.--The poet laureate shall serve for a term of two
 7   years.
 8      (d)   Duties.--The poet laureate shall:
 9            (1)   Give an official reading of a poem at the
10      inauguration of the Governor.
11            (2)   Give an official reading of a poem at the biannual
12      opening of the legislative session upon request of the
13      President pro tempore of the Senate or Speaker of the House
14      of Representatives.
15            (3)   Serve at official commemorations upon request of the
16      Governor.
17      (e)   Reimbursement of expenses.--The poet laureate shall
18   serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary
19   travel and other expenses incurred in the performance of
20   official duties.
21   Section 4.     Pennsylvania Poet Laureate Nomination Committee.
22      (a)   Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate
23   Nomination Committee is established.
24      (b)   Membership.--The committee shall include the following:
25            (1)   The Secretary of Education or a designee.
26            (2)   The chair of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
27      Council on the Arts or a designee.
28            (3)   The State Librarian of the State Library of
29      Pennsylvania or a designee.
30            (4)   A representative from a nonprofit organization whose

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 1      mission is to promote poetry or the humanities and is located
 2      in this Commonwealth, appointed by the Governor.
 3            (5)   A representative from a college or university
 4      department of English located in this Commonwealth, appointed
 5      by the Governor.
 6      (c)   Duties.--The committee shall:
 7            (1)   Determine the qualifications of nominees for the
 8      poet laureate.
 9            (2)   Solicit nominations and provide the Governor with a
10      list consisting of no more than three nominees.
11      (d)   Reimbursement of expenses.--The members of the committee
12   shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for
13   necessary travel and other expenses incurred in the performance
14   of their official duties.
15   Section 5.     Effective date.
16      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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