HB 2263 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, establishing the Election Fellowship Pilot Program.

PRINTER'S NO.   2961

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2263
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

     INTRODUCED BY SHUSTERMAN, HILL-EVANS, NEILSON, SANCHEZ, MAYES,
        D. WILLIAMS, FREEMAN, BOROWSKI AND STEELE, MARCH 4, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 5, 2026


                                       AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
 2      "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
 3      special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
 4      primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
 5      and defining membership of county boards of elections;
 6      imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
 7      courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
 8      imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
 9      revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10      repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11      elections," establishing the Election Fellowship Pilot
12      Program.
13      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14   hereby enacts as follows:
15      Section 1.     The act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known
16   as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is amended by adding an
17   article to read:
18                               ARTICLE XVI-B
19                     ELECTION FELLOWSHIP PILOT PROGRAM
20   Section 1601-B.    Definitions.
21      The following words and phrases when used in this article
22   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
23   context clearly indicates otherwise:
 1      "Department."      The Department of State of the Commonwealth.
 2      "Eligible individual."      An individual who meets the
 3   eligibility requirements under section 1607-B.
 4      "Participating county."      A county selected by the department
 5   under section 1604-B(1) to participate in the pilot program.
 6      "Pilot program."      The Election Fellowship Pilot Program
 7   established under section 1602-B.
 8   Section 1602-B.      Establishment.
 9      The Election Fellowship Pilot Program is established within
10   the department to provide eligible individuals experience in the
11   management and administration of elections.
12   Section 1603-B.      Implementation and administration.
13      The department and participating counties shall implement and
14   administer the pilot program, subject to the availability of
15   money for the pilot program.
16   Section 1604-B.      Duties of department.
17      In implementing and administering the pilot program, the
18   department shall:
19          (1)   Randomly select the following counties to
20      participate in the pilot program:
21                (i)    Two counties of the third class.
22                (ii)    Two counties of the fourth class.
23                (iii)    Two counties of the fifth class.
24                (iv)    Two counties of the sixth class.
25                (v)    Two counties of the seventh class.
26                (vi)    Two counties of the eighth class.
27          (2)   Establish a process for an eligible individual to
28      apply for and participate in the pilot program.
29          (3)   Collaborate with participating counties to determine
30      the duties of eligible individuals selected to participate in

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 1      the pilot program.
 2          (4)   Ensure that eligible individuals selected to
 3      participate in the pilot program receive experience in the
 4      management and administration of elections through
 5      participation in the pilot program.
 6          (5)   Adopt policies and procedures and establish forms as
 7      necessary to implement and administer the pilot program.
 8   Section 1605-B.   Duties of participating counties.
 9      In implementing and administering the pilot program, a
10   participating county shall:
11          (1)   Recruit and select eligible individuals to
12      participate in the pilot program by selecting the individuals
13      to work in the county board of elections office from August 1
14      through December 30 of each year that the pilot program is in
15      operation, beginning August 1 of the year following the
16      effective date of this paragraph.
17          (2)   Collaborate with the department to determine the
18      duties of eligible individuals selected to participate in the
19      pilot program.
20          (3)   Adopt policies and procedures and establish forms as
21      necessary to implement and administer the pilot program.
22   Section 1606-B.   Compensation.
23      A participating county may compensate an eligible individual
24   for participation in the pilot program, with the amount of
25   compensation determined by the participating county.
26   Section 1607-B.   Eligibility.
27      An individual shall be eligible to participate in the pilot
28   program if the individual is a resident of this Commonwealth and
29   will be 18 years of age or older on the starting date of
30   participation in the pilot program.

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 1   Section 1608-B.    Appropriation.
 2      The General Assembly shall appropriate money to:
 3            (1)   The department from the General Fund for the
 4      implementation and administration of the pilot program.
 5            (2)   A participating county from the General Fund for the
 6      implementation and administration of the pilot program,
 7      including for the compensation of an eligible individual in
 8      accordance with section 1606-B.
 9   Section 1609-B.    Operations.
10      (a)   Commencement.--The pilot program shall commence
11   operations on August 1 of the year after the General Assembly
12   appropriates money to the department for the implementation and
13   administration of the pilot program.
14      (b)   Conclusion.--The pilot program shall conclude operations
15   three years after the date of commencement of its operations.
16   Section 1610-B.    Reporting.
17      (a)   Issuance.--No later than 90 days after the pilot program
18   concludes its operations, the department shall collaborate with
19   participating counties to issue a report evaluating the outcomes
20   of the pilot program, including recommendations regarding
21   whether the pilot program should continue and be expanded
22   throughout this Commonwealth.
23      (b)   Submittal.--The department shall submit the report under
24   this section to all of the following:
25            (1)   The Governor.
26            (2)   The President pro tempore of the Senate.
27            (3)   The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
28            (4)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
29      State Government Committee of the Senate.
30            (5)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

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1      State Government Committee of the House of Representatives.
2      (c)   Posting.--The department shall post the report under
3   this section on its publicly accessible Internet website.
4      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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