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.

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
 1   Establishing the Office of New Pennsylvanians and providing for
 2      its powers and duties; establishing the Office of New
 3      Pennsylvanians Restricted Account; and establishing the
 4      Advisory Committee to Office of New Pennsylvanians and
 5      providing for its powers, duties and membership.
 6                            TABLE OF CONTENTS
 7   Chapter 1.   Preliminary Provisions
 8   Section 101.   Short title.
 9   Section 102.   Legislative policy and declarations.
10   Section 103.   Definitions.
11   Chapter 3.   Office of New Pennsylvanians
12   Section 301.   Establishment of office.
13   Section 302.   Powers and duties of office.
14   Section 303.   Office of New Pennsylvanians Restricted Account.
15   Chapter 5.   Advisory Committee to Office of New Pennsylvanians
16   Section 501.   Establishment of advisory committee.
17   Section 502.   Membership.
18   Section 503.   Powers and duties of advisory committee.
 1   Chapter 7.   Miscellaneous Provisions
 2   Section 701.    Applicability of other statutes.
 3   Section 702.    Effective date.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6                                  CHAPTER 1
 7                           PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
 8   Section 101.    Short title.
 9      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Office of New
10   Pennsylvanians Act.
11   Section 102.    Legislative policy and declarations.
12      The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
13          (1)     According to the United States Census Bureau, in
14      2018, Pennsylvania ranked 42nd among the 50 states in
15      population growth since 2010, increasing only 0.86%.
16          (2)     In 2019, Pennsylvania's 893,167 foreign-born
17      individuals comprised 7% of this Commonwealth's population,
18      an increase of 75.7% since 2000, compared to only 1.2% growth
19      in the United-States-born population.
20          (3)     Throughout this Commonwealth's history, immigrants
21      have played a critical role in this Commonwealth's economic,
22      cultural and political growth and success.
23          (4)     Policies that promote the attraction, retention and
24      inclusion of immigrants and refugees will help enhance this
25      Commonwealth's economy and diversity, thereby improving the
26      lives of all residents and helping to remove barriers that
27      may undermine immigrants' full potential.
28          (5)     Immigrants currently fill skilled positions
29      throughout this Commonwealth's economy and are a vital part
30      of this Commonwealth's economy and tax base. In 2019,

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 1    immigrant business owners in this Commonwealth generated more
 2    than $1,700,000,000 in business revenue and immigrant
 3    spending power increased to $24,900,000,000.
 4        (6)   Forty percent of immigrants in this Commonwealth
 5    have a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or graduate
 6    degree, compared to 32% of United-States-born Pennsylvanians.
 7        (7)   Organizations are providing leadership in this
 8    Commonwealth's immigrant integration efforts through programs
 9    and services that connect newcomers and longtime
10    Pennsylvanians to economic opportunity.
11        (8)   It is essential for this Commonwealth's future that
12    skilled, energetic and entrepreneurial immigrants are
13    attracted, retained and integrated. Immigrants help to
14    bolster this Commonwealth's economy and strengthen the
15    social, civic and cultural fabric.
16        (9)   States enforce and provide for many services,
17    licenses and educational and economic opportunities that make
18    it imperative to coordinate the work of state agencies,
19    leverage relationships with partner and nonprofit
20    organizations and recommend policies and programs that
21    support immigrant inclusion. Immigrants on the path to full
22    civic and economic participation benefit from a welcoming
23    environment and policies that:
24              (i)     Increase access to English language instruction
25        and workforce development and employment.
26              (ii)    Reduce exploitation and fraud against
27        immigrants.
28              (iii)    Connect new Pennsylvanians to legal services
29        and assist on the path to naturalization.
30              (iv)    Provide individuals with meaningful access to

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 1            Commonwealth resources and opportunities regardless of
 2            English proficiency.
 3            (10)   In recognition of these facts and in promotion of
 4      the stated goals, the creation of the Office of New
 5      Pennsylvanians will help improve the lives and economic
 6      prosperity of immigrants and Pennsylvanians generally.
 7   Section 103.     Definitions.
 8      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
 9   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10   context clearly indicates otherwise:
11      "Advisory committee."        The Advisory Committee to Office of
12   New Pennsylvanians established in section 501.
13      "Department."     The Department of Community and Economic
14   Development of the Commonwealth.
15      "Office."     The Office of New Pennsylvanians established in
16   section 301.
17      "Secretary."     The Secretary of Community and Economic
18   Development of the Commonwealth.
19                                    CHAPTER 3
20                         OFFICE OF NEW PENNSYLVANIANS
21   Section 301.     Establishment of office.
22      (a)   Establishment.--The Office of New Pennsylvanians is
23   established within the department.
24      (b)   Administrative services and staff.--
25            (1)    The department shall provide administrative services
26      and staff, including counsel and legal staff, to the office
27      and to the advisory committee.
28            (2)    The office shall reimburse the department for the
29      cost and expenses of providing the administrative services
30      and staff under paragraph (1). No more than 5% of the funding

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 1      appropriated annually to the office shall be used for
 2      administrative costs and expenses.
 3   Section 302.    Powers and duties of office.
 4      The office shall:
 5          (1)     Respond to inquiries from Commonwealth agencies, the
 6      media, immigrant-serving organizations and the public about
 7      immigration issues in this Commonwealth.
 8          (2)     Serve as point of contact for Commonwealth licensing
 9      boards and the Bureau of Professional and Occupational
10      Affairs.
11          (3)     Serve as an information clearinghouse for
12      Commonwealth agencies on immigration-related policy issues
13      and coordinate among agencies as appropriate.
14          (4)     Analyze economic, demographic and other trends
15      impacting immigrants in this Commonwealth and make policy
16      recommendations.
17          (5)     Ensure that the Commonwealth is gathering relevant
18      data to inform the Commonwealth's policy making on immigrant
19      issues.
20          (6)     Develop strategies to attract, retain and integrate
21      immigrants into this Commonwealth.
22          (7)     Convene stakeholders in business development and
23      international trade promotion programs to increase capacity
24      to utilize immigrant contributors.
25          (8)     Disseminate information to new and prospective
26      immigrant residents of this Commonwealth who wish to invest
27      capital, launch businesses or apply their skills in this
28      Commonwealth.
29          (9)     Convene municipal officials to boost peer learning
30      on increasing immigration in cities of the third class

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 1      struggling with population loss and economic decline.
 2          (10)    Convene college and university officials to foster
 3      learning on strategies for immigrant and international
 4      student retention.
 5          (11)    Provide matching grant funds for high-quality
 6      immigration and economic development programs that can
 7      demonstrate corporate or philanthropic investment.
 8          (12)    Disseminate information about available services to
 9      assist new and prospective immigrant residents of this
10      Commonwealth on the path to naturalization.
11          (13)    Disseminate information about legal services
12      available to new Pennsylvanians in civil legal matters,
13      including housing, family, immigration and other matters.
14          (14)    Disseminate information about English language
15      instruction and resources available to immigrant residents of
16      this Commonwealth.
17          (15)    Convene stakeholders in Commonwealth agencies,
18      immigrant-serving organizations and the public to identify
19      and reduce exploitation and fraud against immigrants.
20          (16)    Convene stakeholders in Commonwealth agencies,
21      immigrant-serving organizations and the public to promote
22      race, sex, gender, age, income and LGBTQ equity and to
23      identify and reduce inequities.
24          (17)    Develop strategies to provide immigrants with
25      meaningful access to Commonwealth resources and opportunities
26      regardless of their level of English proficiency.
27          (18)    Evaluate the success of activities and adjust
28      courses as appropriate.
29   Section 303.   Office of New Pennsylvanians Restricted Account.
30      The Office of New Pennsylvanians Restricted Account is

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 1   established as a restricted account in the General Fund. Money
 2   appropriated by the General Assembly for the office shall be
 3   deposited into the restricted account for use by the office to
 4   carry out its powers and duties under section 302.
 5                                 CHAPTER 5
 6                           ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO
 7                        OFFICE OF NEW PENNSYLVANIANS
 8   Section 501.    Establishment of advisory committee.
 9      The Advisory Committee to Office of New Pennsylvanians is
10   established within the office and shall serve in an advisory
11   capacity to the office in matters regarding immigrants in this
12   Commonwealth. The advisory committee shall be staffed and
13   administered by the office.
14   Section 502.    Membership.
15      (a)   Public official members.--The advisory committee shall
16   consist of the following members, who shall serve by virtue of
17   their public position:
18            (1)   The secretary or a designee.
19            (2)   The Secretary of Administration or a designee.
20            (3)   The Secretary of Education or a designee.
21            (4)   The Secretary of Health or a designee.
22            (5)   The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.
23            (6)   The Secretary of Labor and Industry or a designee.
24            (7)   The Secretary of Transportation or a designee.
25            (8)   The Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police or a
26      designee.
27            (9)   The Attorney General or a designee from the Office
28      of the Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection.
29      (b)   Nongovernmental members.--The advisory committee shall
30   consist of nongovernmental members to be appointed by the

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 1   Governor as follows:
 2            (1)    Three members from an organization that attracts,
 3      retains and integrates immigrants into this Commonwealth's
 4      economic, cultural and civic affairs. The advisory committee
 5      shall establish a minimum of three regions within this
 6      Commonwealth for the purpose of appointing one member from
 7      each region.
 8            (2)    One member from a Pennsylvania chapter of the
 9      American Immigration Lawyers Association.
10            (3)    One member from an institution of higher education
11      who has a primary focus on immigration issues.
12            (4)    One member from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business
13      and Industry or a similar local advocate for economic
14      improvement.
15            (5)    One member with expertise in promoting language
16      access plans.
17            (6)    One member from an agency focused on providing
18      English language instruction to speakers of other languages.
19            (7)    One member from the Pennsylvania banking sector.
20            (8)    One member from a workforce training agency.
21            (9)    One member from the health care sector.
22            (10)    One member from an agency working to increase
23      immigrants' access to health care services.
24            (11)    One member from a human services agency.
25            (12)    One member from an agency focused on working with
26      immigrants in matters of tenants' rights.
27            (13)    One member from the Pennsylvania Manufacturers'
28      Association.
29      (c)   Voting.--
30            (1)    All members appointed shall hold voting privileges

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 1      on all matters brought for consideration before the advisory
 2      committee.
 3            (2)   A simple majority of members with current
 4      appointments to the advisory committee shall constitute a
 5      quorum for the transaction of any business. An action adopted
 6      by the majority of the members present at a meeting in which
 7      there is a quorum shall be deemed to be an act of the
 8      advisory committee.
 9      (d)   Terms.--
10            (1)   The terms of the members under subsection (a) shall
11      be concurrent with their holding of the public office.
12            (2)   A member appointed under subsection (b) shall serve
13      a three-year term as long as they represent the interest of
14      the membership class for which they were appointed and shall
15      serve until a successor is appointed.
16      (e)   Chairperson.--The secretary shall serve as chairperson
17   of the advisory committee.
18      (f)   Expenses of members.--Members of the advisory committee
19   shall receive no compensation for their services. Members who
20   are not employees of State government shall be reimbursed at
21   established Commonwealth rates for expenses incurred in the
22   performance of their duties on the advisory committee.
23   Section 503.    Powers and duties of advisory committee.
24      (a)   General rule.--The advisory committee shall:
25            (1)   Make recommendations to the Governor and the
26      secretary on policies, procedures, regulations and
27      legislation to attract, retain and integrate immigrants into
28      this Commonwealth's society.
29            (2)   Serve as the Governor's liaison to new
30      Pennsylvanians on policies, procedures, regulations and

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 1      legislation that affect immigrants, in order to ensure that
 2      State government is accessible, accountable and responsive to
 3      the needs of immigrants.
 4            (3)   Serve as a resource to all departments, commissions
 5      and agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction to ensure that
 6      government entities are cognizant of the needs of immigrants
 7      and that the entities' respective services and programs are
 8      accessible to immigrants.
 9            (4)   Work with the office to monitor the practices of
10      Commonwealth agencies relating to the attraction, retention
11      and integration of immigrants in order to maximize the
12      efficiency and accessibility to State government.
13            (5)   Perform other duties as the Governor and secretary
14      may assign in planning for services and programs for
15      immigrants.
16      (b)   Studies and reports.--The advisory committee may conduct
17   studies and issue reports as necessary on issues affecting
18   immigrants in this Commonwealth.
19      (c)   Public hearings.--The advisory committee shall conduct
20   at least one public hearing each year to receive testimony and
21   public comments on improving the attraction, retention and
22   integration of immigrants in this Commonwealth.
23      (d)   Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
24   construed to prevent the advisory committee from establishing ad
25   hoc work groups or local committees to assist in research and
26   other duties necessary to carry out the mission of the office.
27                                 CHAPTER 7
28                          MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
29   Section 701.    Applicability of other statutes.
30      The following acts shall apply to the office and the advisory

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 1   committee:
 2          (1)     The act of July 19, 1957 (P.L.1017, No.451), known
 3      as the State Adverse Interest Act.
 4          (2)     The act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as
 5      the Right-to-Know Law.
 6          (3)     The provisions of 65 Pa.C.S. Chs. 7 (relating to
 7      open meetings) and 11 (relating to ethics standards and
 8      financial disclosure).
 9   Section 702.    Effective date.
10      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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