SB 152 — An Act providing for the study of intergenerational poverty; establishing the Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System, the Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic Insecurity and the Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security; providing for a strategic plan and for reports; and imposing duties on the Department of Human Services and the Secretary of the Budget.

PRINTER'S NO.    99

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         SENATE BILL
                         No. 152
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, HAYWOOD, STREET, COLLETT, KEARNEY,
        SCHWANK, SAVAL, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE AND KANE, JANUARY 22, 2025

     REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JANUARY 22, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Providing for the study of intergenerational poverty;
 2      establishing the Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System,
 3      the Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic Insecurity
 4      and the Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination and
 5      Economic Security; providing for a strategic plan and for
 6      reports; and imposing duties on the Department of Human
 7      Services and the Secretary of the Budget.
 8                              TABLE OF CONTENTS
 9   Chapter 1.     Preliminary Provisions
10   Section 101.    Short title.
11   Section 102.    Definitions.
12   Chapter 3.     Intergenerational Poverty
13   Section 301.    Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System.
14   Section 302.    Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic
15                Insecurity.
16   Section 303.    Powers and duties.
17   Section 304.    Report.
18   Chapter 5.     Poverty Elimination and Economic Security Strategic
19                Planning
20   Section 501.    The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination
 1                 and Economic Security.
 2   Section 502.    Strategic plan to address poverty and economic
 3                 insecurity.
 4   Section 503.    Commission reports.
 5   Section 504.    Duties of Secretary of the Budget.
 6   Chapter 7.     Miscellaneous Provisions
 7   Section 701.    (Reserved).
 8   Section 702.    (Reserved).
 9   Section 703.    Effective date.
10      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11   hereby enacts as follows:
12                                  CHAPTER 1
13                           PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
14   Section 101.    Short title.
15      This act shall be known and may be cited as the
16   Intergenerational Poverty Act.
17   Section 102.    Definitions.
18      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
19   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
20   context clearly indicates otherwise:
21      "Antipoverty program."      A program with the primary goal of
22   lifting individuals out of poverty and improving economic
23   opportunities for individuals that operates, in whole or in
24   part, utilizing Federal or State money.
25      "Asset poverty."     The inability of an individual to access
26   wealth resources sufficient to provide for basic needs for a
27   period of three months.
28      "Child."     An individual who is under 18 years of age.
29      "Commission."     The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty
30   Elimination and Economic Security established under section

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 1   501(a).
 2      "Commonwealth poverty measure."        A uniform method for
 3   measuring poverty in this Commonwealth that considers indicators
 4   and measures, other than traditional income-based measures of
 5   poverty, that provide a detailed picture of low-income and
 6   poverty populations and meaningfully account for other factors
 7   contributing to poverty, and may include:
 8             (1)    access to health care, housing, proper nutrition and
 9      quality education;
10             (2)    the number of individuals kept out of poverty by
11      government supports;
12             (3)    the number of individuals who are impoverished due
13      to medical expenses, child-care expenses or work expenses;
14             (4)    the rates of food insecurity;
15             (5)    the number of individuals in asset poverty;
16             (6)    the number of disconnected youth;
17             (7)    the teen birth rate;
18             (8)    the participation rate in Federal and State
19      antipoverty programs for all eligible populations;
20             (9)    the number of individuals who do not use a bank or
21      similar financial institution;
22             (10)    regional differences in costs of living;
23             (11)    income necessary to achieve economic security and a
24      livable standard of living in different regions of this
25      Commonwealth;
26             (12)    the impact of rising income inequality;
27             (13)    the impact of the digital divide; and
28             (14)    the impact of trauma on intergenerational poverty.
29      "Cycle of poverty."      The set of factors or events by which
30   the long-term poverty of an individual is likely to continue and

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 1   be experienced by each child of the individual when the child
 2   becomes an adult unless there is outside intervention.
 3      "Deep poverty."   An economic condition where an individual or
 4   family has a total annual income that is less than 50% of the
 5   Federal poverty level for the individual or family as provided
 6   in the annual report of the United States Census Bureau on
 7   Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United
 8   States.
 9      "Department."    The Department of Human Services of the
10   Commonwealth.
11      "Deprivation."    A lack of adequate nutrition, health care,
12   housing or other resources to provide for basic needs.
13      "Digital divide."     The gap between individuals, households,
14   businesses and geographic areas at different socioeconomic
15   levels related to access to information and communication
16   technologies, including the imbalance in physical access to
17   technology and the resources, education and skills needed to
18   effectively use computer technology and the Internet for a wide
19   variety of activities.
20      "Disconnected youth."     Individuals who are 16 years of age to
21   25 years of age who are unemployed and not enrolled in school.
22      "Economic insecurity."     The inability to cope with routine
23   adverse or costly life events and recover from the costly
24   consequences of those events and the lack of economic means to
25   maintain an adequate standard of living.
26      "Economic security."    Having access to the economic means and
27   support necessary to effectively cope with adverse or costly
28   life events and recover from the consequences of such events
29   while maintaining an adequate standard of living.
30      "Intergenerational poverty."     Poverty in which two or more

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 1   successive generations of a family continue in the cycle of
 2   poverty and government dependence. The term does not include
 3   situational poverty.
 4      "Outcome."    A change in the economic status, economic
 5   instability or economic security of an individual, household or
 6   other population that is attributable to a planned intervention,
 7   benefit, service or series of interventions, benefits and
 8   services, regardless of whether the intervention, benefit or
 9   service was intended to change the economic status, economic
10   stability or economic security.
11      "Poverty."    An economic condition in which an individual or
12   family has a total annual income that is less than the Federal
13   poverty level for the individual or family, as provided in the
14   report of the United States Census Bureau on Income, Poverty and
15   Health Insurance Coverage in the United States.
16      "Situational poverty."     Temporary poverty that meets all of
17   the following:
18          (1)     Is generally traceable to a specific incident or
19      time period within the lifetime of an individual.
20          (2)     Is not continued to the next generation.
21      "Strategic plan."    The plan under section 502.
22      "System."     The Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System
23   established under section 301(a).
24      "Two-generation approach."     An approach to breaking the cycle
25   of intergenerational poverty by improving family economic
26   security through programs that create opportunities for and
27   address the needs of parents and children together.
28      "Workgroup."    The Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and
29   Economic Insecurity established under section 302.
30                                 CHAPTER 3

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 1                            INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY
 2   Section 301.     Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System.
 3      (a)   Establishment.--The department shall establish and
 4   maintain a data system to track intergenerational poverty, which
 5   shall be known as the Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System.
 6      (b)   System requirements.--The system shall have the ability
 7   to do all of the following:
 8            (1)   Identify groups that have a high risk of
 9      experiencing intergenerational poverty.
10            (2)   Identify incidents, patterns and trends that explain
11      or contribute to intergenerational poverty.
12            (3)   Gather and track available local, State and national
13      data on all of the following:
14                  (i)    Official poverty rates.
15                  (ii)    Child poverty rates.
16                  (iii)    Years spent by an individual in childhood
17            poverty.
18                  (iv)    Years spent by an individual in adult poverty.
19                  (v)    Related poverty information.
20      (c)   Duties of department.--The department shall do all of
21   the following:
22            (1)   Use available data in the system, including public
23      assistance data, census data and other data made available to
24      the department, to track intergenerational poverty.
25            (2)   Develop and implement methods to integrate, compare,
26      analyze and validate the data for the purposes described
27      under subsection (b).
28            (3)   Protect the privacy of an individual living in
29      poverty by using and distributing data within the system in
30      compliance with Federal and State laws.

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 1            (4)   Include in the report required under section 304, a
 2      summary of the data, findings and potential additional uses
 3      of the system.
 4   Section 302.     Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic
 5                  Insecurity.
 6      (a)   Establishment.--The Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and
 7   Economic Insecurity is established.
 8      (b)   Membership.--The workgroup shall be comprised of the
 9   following members:
10            (1)   The Secretary of Human Services, or a designee who
11      is a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the
12      department, who shall serve as chair.
13            (2)   The Secretary of Labor and Industry, or a designee
14      who is a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the
15      Department of Labor and Industry.
16            (3)   The Secretary of Education, or a designee who is a
17      deputy secretary or the equivalent within the Department of
18      Education.
19            (4)   The Secretary of Health, or a designee who is a
20      deputy secretary or the equivalent within the Department of
21      Health.
22            (5)   The Secretary of Community and Economic Development,
23      or a designee who is a deputy secretary or the equivalent
24      within the Department of Community and Economic Development.
25            (6)   The Secretary of Aging, or a designee who shall be a
26      deputy secretary or the equivalent within the Department of
27      Aging.
28            (7)   The Secretary of Corrections, or a designee who
29      shall be a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the
30      Department of Corrections.

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 1            (8)   The Secretary of Agriculture, or a designee who
 2      shall be a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the
 3      Department of Agriculture.
 4            (9)   The Secretary of the Budget or a designee.
 5      (c)   Meetings.--The workgroup shall meet no less than four
 6   times a year.
 7   Section 303.     Powers and duties.
 8      The workgroup shall have the following powers and duties:
 9            (1)   To collaborate in sharing and analyzing information
10      and data for all of the following purposes:
11                  (i)    Understanding the root causes of poverty and
12            economic insecurity, including contributing social,
13            economic and cultural factors.
14                  (ii)    Understanding and addressing intergenerational
15            poverty by:
16                         (A)   Identifying children who are at risk of
17                  continuing in the cycle of poverty absent
18                  intervention.
19                         (B)   Identifying and developing effective and
20                  efficient plans, programs and recommendations to help
21                  at-risk children in this Commonwealth escape the
22                  cycle of poverty.
23                         (C)   Implementing data-driven policies and
24                  programs, to the extent authorized by law, addressing
25                  poverty, public assistance, education, economic
26                  development, criminal justice and other areas as
27                  needed to measurably reduce the incidence of children
28                  in this Commonwealth who remain in poverty as they
29                  become adults.
30                         (D)   Establishing and facilitating improved

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 1             cooperation, data sharing and policy coordination
 2             among all persons, from Commonwealth agencies to
 3             caseworkers, in rescuing children from
 4             intergenerational poverty.
 5                  (E)   Studying and measuring the effect of
 6             intergenerational poverty on the ability of parents
 7             and children to achieve economic stability, including
 8             the effect on educational attainment, rates of
 9             incarceration, lifetime earnings, access to
10             healthcare and access to housing.
11                  (F)   Studying, evaluating and reporting on the
12             status and effectiveness of policies, procedures and
13             programs that provide services to children in this
14             Commonwealth affected by intergenerational poverty.
15                  (G)   Studying and evaluating the policies,
16             procedures and programs implemented by other states
17             and nongovernmental entities that address the needs
18             of children affected by intergenerational poverty.
19                  (H)   Identifying Commonwealth policies,
20             procedures and programs or Federal requirements that
21             are impeding efforts to help children in this
22             Commonwealth affected by intergenerational poverty
23             escape the cycle of poverty.
24                  (I)   Developing and implementing programs and
25             policies that use the two-generation approach.
26             (iii)   Studying and measuring the effect that poverty
27        and economic insecurity have on all of the following:
28                  (A)   Worker productivity and economic output.
29                  (B)   The health and welfare of children,
30             including access to health care, housing, proper

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 1              nutrition and quality education.
 2              (iv)    Identifying Commonwealth programs, including
 3        those related to economic development, job creation, job
 4        training, the environment, disaster relief, hazard
 5        mitigation, extreme weather and climate change, in need
 6        of reform to better target resources to low-income,
 7        minority, rural, urban and other populations or
 8        geographic areas suffering from economic insecurity and
 9        disparate rates of poverty.
10              (v)    Measuring the fiscal impact on the Commonwealth
11        from successfully transitioning individuals and families
12        from poverty to long-term economic stability. Fiscal
13        impact measurements may include all of the following:
14                     (A)   Reductions in long-term costs of social
15              safety net programs.
16                     (B)   Reductions in long-term health care costs by
17              improving health of households formerly facing
18              economic insecurity or poverty.
19                     (C)   Increases in State and local revenues
20              attributable to new taxpaying individuals as a result
21              of increased employment and disposable income.
22                     (D)   Reductions in enrollment and costs in need-
23              based benefits and services programs.
24                     (E)   Improvements to the overall economy of this
25              Commonwealth and reduced financial pressures on the
26              State and local governments.
27        (2)   To establish an ongoing system of data sharing,
28    policy coordination and communication among and within
29    Commonwealth agencies, local agencies and other organizations
30    related to programs aimed at improving economic security and

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 1      eliminating poverty.
 2            (3)   To identify knowledge gaps, research needs and
 3      policy and program deficiencies associated with economic
 4      insecurity and poverty.
 5            (4)   To assist the commission in the development of the
 6      strategic plan, including sharing data and information
 7      identified under paragraphs (1) and (3) and analyses of that
 8      data and information.
 9            (5)   To implement the strategic plan adopted by the
10      commission, including all of the following:
11                  (i)    Coordinating implementation of the strategic
12            plan.
13                  (ii)    Advising and assisting relevant agencies in the
14            implementation of the strategic plan.
15                  (iii)    Advising relevant agencies on specific
16            programmatic and policy matters related to the strategic
17            plan.
18                  (iv)    Providing relevant subject matter expertise to
19            each agency for purposes of implementing the strategic
20            plan.
21                  (v)    Identifying and addressing issues that may
22            influence the future of the strategic plan.
23   Section 304.     Report.
24      (a)   Report.--No later than September 1 of each year, the
25   workgroup shall issue a report that includes the following:
26            (1)   A summary of actions taken and outcomes obtained by
27      the workgroup in fulfilling its duties under section 303.
28            (2)   Progress made on reducing poverty and economic
29      insecurity in this Commonwealth, including policies or
30      procedures implemented to reduce or eliminate the cycle of

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 1      poverty and intergenerational poverty as a result of the data
 2      collected by the workgroup.
 3            (3)   Relevant data assessing the scope and depth of
 4      intergenerational poverty in this Commonwealth.
 5            (4)   A 20-year history of poverty rates in this
 6      Commonwealth with a focus on any reduction or increase in the
 7      rates during the previous 10 years and since the inception of
 8      the workgroup.
 9            (5)   Any recommendations for legislative or regulatory
10      action to adopt or repeal laws, policies or procedures to
11      further the goal of eliminating poverty and economic
12      insecurity in this Commonwealth.
13      (b)   Distribution.--The workgroup shall distribute the report
14   under subsection (a) as follows:
15            (1)   To the Governor.
16            (2)   To each member of the General Assembly.
17            (3)   By prominently posting the report on the publicly
18      accessible Internet website of all Commonwealth departments
19      and agencies.
20                                     CHAPTER 5
21                              POVERTY ELIMINATION AND
22                        ECONOMIC SECURITY STRATEGIC PLANNING
23   Section 501.     The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination
24                  and Economic Security.
25      (a)   Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty
26   Elimination and Economic Security is established.
27      (b)   Purpose.--The purpose of the commission is to:
28            (1)   Inform the public policymaking process by:
29                  (i)    Improving policymakers' understanding of the
30            root causes of poverty and economic insecurity, including

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 1            contributing social, economic and cultural factors and
 2            the reasons that poverty and economic insecurity persist
 3            in this Commonwealth.
 4                  (ii)    Expanding policymakers' understanding of
 5            poverty by distinguishing a standard that measures a
 6            level of freedom from deprivation from a standard that
 7            measures economic security provided by a living wage and
 8            access to a livable standard of living.
 9                  (iii)    Educating policymakers on the impact poverty
10            has on other measures of economic stability and economic
11            outcomes, including educational attainment, rates of
12            incarceration, lifetime earnings, access to health care,
13            health care outcomes and access to housing.
14            (2)   Support governmental efforts to ensure that
15      residents of this Commonwealth have equal opportunity to
16      achieve economic security.
17            (3)   Reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in this
18      Commonwealth by making policy and other recommendations to
19      the legislative, executive and judicial branches of this
20      Commonwealth.
21      (c)   Membership.--The commission shall be comprised of the
22   following members:
23            (1)   Four members of the General Assembly, one each
24      appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, the
25      Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
26      Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of
27      Representatives.
28            (2)   A member of the judiciary or a designee who shall be
29      appointed by the Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme
30      Court.

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 1        (3)   Twenty members of the public appointed under
 2    subsection (d) representing stakeholders as follows:
 3              (i)    Two representatives, one of whom shall represent
 4        an organization that focuses on rural poverty and one of
 5        whom shall represent an organization that focuses on
 6        urban and suburban poverty.
 7              (ii)    Two individuals who have experienced deep
 8        poverty.
 9              (iii)    One representative of an organization that
10        advocates for health care access, affordability and
11        availability.
12              (iv)    One representative of an organization that
13        advocates for individuals with mental illness.
14              (v)    One representative of an organization that
15        advocates for children and youth.
16              (vi)    One representative of an organization that
17        advocates for equity and equality in education.
18              (vii)    One representative of an organization that
19        advocates for individuals who are homeless.
20              (viii)    One representative of a Statewide antihunger
21        organization.
22              (ix)    One representative of an organization that
23        advocates for military veterans.
24              (x)    One representative of an organization that
25        advocates for individuals with disabilities.
26              (xi)    One representative of an organization that
27        advocates for immigrants.
28              (xii)    One representative of a Statewide faith-based
29        organization that provides direct social services in this
30        Commonwealth.

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 1                (xiii)    One representative of an organization that
 2          advocates for economic security for women.
 3                (xiv)    One representative of an organization that
 4          advocates for older adults.
 5                (xv)    One representative of a labor organization that
 6          represents primarily low-wage and middle-wage earners.
 7                (xvi)    One representative of school districts in this
 8          Commonwealth.
 9                (xvii)    One representative of county governments in
10          this Commonwealth.
11                (xviii)    One representative of municipal corporation
12          governments in this Commonwealth.
13          (4)   The members of the workgroup shall serve as
14    nonvoting ex officio members of the commission.
15    (d)   Appointment.--
16          (1)   The public members of the commission under
17    subsection (c)(3) shall be appointed as follows:
18                (i)    Four shall be appointed by the Governor.
19                (ii)    Four shall be appointed by the President pro
20          tempore of the Senate.
21                (iii)    Four shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
22          House of Representatives.
23                (iv)    Four shall be appointed by the Minority Leader
24          of the Senate.
25                (v)    Four shall be appointed by the Minority Leader
26          of the House of Representatives.
27          (2)   It shall be determined by lot which appointing
28    authority appoints which public members to the commission.
29          (3)   The appointed members shall reflect the racial,
30    gender and geographic diversity of this Commonwealth and

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 1      shall include representation from regions of this
 2      Commonwealth experiencing economic insecurity and the highest
 3      rates of deep poverty.
 4             (4)   Public members of the commission shall be selected
 5      for service on the commission within 45 days of the effective
 6      date of this paragraph.
 7      (e)    Qualifications.--Each member of the commission must have
 8   been a resident of this Commonwealth for a period of at least
 9   one year immediately preceding appointment and must continue
10   residence in this Commonwealth during the member's tenure of
11   service on the commission.
12      (f)    Organizational meeting.--The organizational meeting of
13   the commission shall take place after all members are appointed
14   but no later than 60 days after the effective date of this
15   subsection.
16      (g)    Compensation.--Members shall serve without compensation,
17   but public members may be reimbursed for reasonable and
18   necessary travel expenses connected to commission business.
19      (h)    Commission chairperson.--The representatives of the
20   antipoverty organizations appointed under subsection (c)(3)(i)
21   shall serve as cochairs of the commission.
22      (i)    Committees.--The commission may establish subcommittees
23   to address specific issues or populations and may collaborate
24   with individuals with relevant expertise who are not members of
25   the commission to assist the subcommittee in carrying out its
26   duties.
27      (j)    Meetings.--The full commission shall meet at least once
28   annually.
29      (k)    Quorum.--A majority plus one of the voting members shall
30   constitute a quorum.

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 1      (l)   Voting.--All actions of the commission and any
 2   subcommittees established by the commission shall be approved by
 3   majority vote of the commission or subcommittee as applicable.
 4      (m)   Open meetings.--The meetings of the commission shall be
 5   conducted in accordance with the provisions of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7
 6   (relating to open meetings).
 7      (n)   Administrative support.--The department shall provide
 8   staff and administrative support to assist the commission in
 9   carrying out its duties.
10   Section 502.     Strategic plan to address poverty and economic
11                  insecurity.
12      (a)   Plan required.--No later than November 30, 2026, the
13   commission shall develop and adopt a strategic plan to address
14   poverty and economic insecurity in this Commonwealth.
15      (b)   Goals.--The goals of the strategic plan shall be to:
16            (1)   Ensure that Commonwealth programs and services
17      targeting poverty and economic insecurity reflect the goal of
18      helping individuals and families rise above poverty and
19      achieve long-term economic stability rather than simply
20      providing relief from deprivation.
21            (2)   Eliminate disparate rates of poverty, deep poverty,
22      child poverty and intergenerational poverty based on race,
23      ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation or identity,
24      English language proficiency, ability and geographic location
25      in a rural, urban or suburban area.
26            (3)   Reduce deep poverty in this Commonwealth by 50% by
27      2032.
28            (4)   Eliminate child poverty in this Commonwealth by
29      2037.
30            (5)   Eliminate all poverty in this Commonwealth by 2042.

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 1      (c)   Plan development.--In developing the strategic plan, the
 2   commission shall:
 3            (1)   Collaborate with the workgroup, including sharing
 4      data and information identified under section 303(1) and (3)
 5      and analyses of that data and information.
 6            (2)   Review each program and service provided by the
 7      Commonwealth that targets poverty and economic insecurity for
 8      purposes of:
 9                  (i)    determining which programs and services are the
10            most effective and of the highest importance in reducing
11            poverty and economic insecurity in this Commonwealth; and
12                  (ii)   providing an analysis of unmet needs, if any,
13            among individuals, children and families in deep poverty
14            and intergenerational poverty for each program and
15            service identified under subparagraph (i).
16            (3)   Study the feasibility of using public/private
17      partnerships and social impact bonds to improve innovation
18      and cost-effectiveness in the development of programs and
19      delivery of services that advance the goals of the strategic
20      plan.
21            (4)   Hold at least six public hearings in different
22      geographic regions of this Commonwealth, including areas that
23      have disparate rates of poverty and that have historically
24      experienced economic insecurity, to collect information, take
25      testimony and solicit input and feedback from interested
26      parties, including members of the public who have personal
27      experiences with Commonwealth programs and services targeting
28      economic insecurity, poverty, deep poverty, child poverty and
29      intergenerational poverty, and make the information publicly
30      available.

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 1            (5)    Request and receive from a Commonwealth agency or
 2      local government agency information relating to poverty in
 3      this Commonwealth, including all of the following:
 4                   (i)    Reports.
 5                   (ii)    Audits.
 6                   (iii)    Data.
 7                   (iv)    Projections.
 8                   (v)    Statistics.
 9      (d)   Subject areas.--The strategic plan shall address all of
10   the following:
11            (1)    Access to safe and affordable housing.
12            (2)    Access to adequate food and nutrition.
13            (3)    Access to affordable and quality health care.
14            (4)    Equal access to quality education and training.
15            (5)    Equal access to affordable, quality postsecondary
16      education options.
17            (6)    Dependable and affordable transportation.
18            (7)    Access to quality and affordable child care.
19            (8)    Opportunities to engage in meaningful and
20      sustainable work that pays a living wage and barriers to
21      those opportunities experienced by individuals living in
22      poverty.
23            (9)    Equal access to justice through a fair system of
24      criminal justice that does not, in effect, criminalize
25      poverty.
26            (10)    Availability of adequate income supports.
27            (11)    Retirement security.
28      (e)   Plan content.--The strategic plan shall, at a minimum,
29   contain policy and fiscal recommendations relating to all of the
30   following:

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 1        (1)   Developing fact-based measures to evaluate the long-
 2    term effectiveness of existing and proposed programs and
 3    services targeting poverty and economic insecurity.
 4        (2)   Increasing enrollment in programs and services
 5    targeting poverty and economic insecurity by reducing the
 6    complexity and difficulty of enrollment in order to maximize
 7    program effectiveness and increase positive outcomes.
 8        (3)   Increasing the reach of programs and services
 9    targeting poverty and economic insecurity by ensuring that
10    Commonwealth agencies have adequate resources to maximize the
11    public awareness of the programs and services, especially in
12    historically disenfranchised communities.
13        (4)   Reducing the negative impacts of asset limits for
14    eligibility on the effectiveness of Commonwealth programs
15    targeting poverty and economic insecurity by ensuring that
16    eligibility limits do not:
17              (i)    create gaps in necessary service and benefit
18        delivery or restrict access to benefits as individuals
19        and families attempt to transition off assistance
20        programs; or
21              (ii)    prevent beneficiaries from improving long-term
22        outcomes and achieving long-term economic independence
23        from the program.
24        (5)   Improving the ability of community-based
25    organizations to participate in the development and
26    implementation of Commonwealth programs designed to address
27    economic insecurity and poverty.
28        (6)   Improving the ability of individuals living in
29    poverty, low-income individuals and unemployed individuals to
30    access critical job training and skills upgrade programs and

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 1    to find quality jobs that help children and families become
 2    economically secure and rise above poverty.
 3        (7)    Improving communication and collaboration between
 4    Commonwealth agencies and local governments on programs
 5    targeting poverty and economic insecurity.
 6        (8)    Creating efficiencies in the administration and
 7    coordination of programs and services targeting poverty and
 8    economic insecurity.
 9        (9)    Connecting low-income children, disconnected youth
10    and families of those children and youth to education, job
11    training and jobs in the communities in which those children
12    and youth live.
13        (10)    Ensuring that the Commonwealth's services and
14    benefits programs, emergency programs, discretionary economic
15    programs and other policies are sufficiently funded to enable
16    the Commonwealth to mount effective responses to economic
17    downturns and increases in economic insecurity and poverty
18    rates.
19        (11)    Creating one or more Commonwealth poverty measures.
20        (12)    Developing and implementing programs and policies
21    that use the two-generation approach.
22        (13)    Using public/private partnerships and social impact
23    bonds to improve innovation and cost-effectiveness in the
24    development of programs and delivery of services that advance
25    the goals of the strategic plan.
26        (14)    Identifying best practices for collecting data
27    relevant to all of the following:
28               (i)    Reducing economic insecurity and poverty.
29               (ii)    Reducing the racial, ethnic, age, gender,
30        sexual orientation and sexual identity-based disparities

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 1            in the rates of economic insecurity and poverty.
 2                  (iii)    Adequately measuring the effectiveness,
 3            efficiency and impact of programs on the outcomes for
 4            individuals, families and communities who receive
 5            benefits and services.
 6                  (iv)    Streamlining enrollment and eligibility for
 7            programs.
 8                  (v)    Improving long-term outcomes for individuals who
 9            are enrolled in service and benefit programs.
10                  (vi)    Reducing reliance on public programs.
11                  (vii)    Improving connections to work.
12                  (viii)    Improving economic security.
13                  (ix)    Improving retirement security.
14                  (x)    Improving the Commonwealth's understanding of
15            the impact of extreme weather and natural disasters on
16            economically vulnerable communities and improving those
17            communities' resilience to and recovery from extreme
18            weather and natural disasters.
19                  (xi)    Improving access to living-wage employment.
20                  (xii)    Improving access to employment-based benefits.
21      (f)   Other information.--In addition to the plan content
22   required under subsection (e), the strategic plan shall contain
23   all of the following:
24            (1)   A suggested timeline for the stages of
25      implementation of the recommendations in the plan.
26            (2)   Short-term, intermediate-term and long-term
27      benchmarks to measure the Commonwealth's progress toward
28      meeting the goals of the strategic plan.
29            (3)   A summary of the review and analysis conducted by
30      the commission under subsection (c)(1).

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 1      (g)   Impact of recommendations.--For each recommendation in
 2   the plan, the commission shall identify in measurable terms the
 3   actual or potential impact that the recommendation will have on
 4   poverty and economic insecurity in this Commonwealth.
 5   Section 503.    Commission reports.
 6      (a)   Interim report.--No later than June 30, 2026, the
 7   commission shall issue an interim report on the commission's
 8   activities to the Governor and the General Assembly.
 9      (b)   Report on strategic plan.--Upon the commission's
10   adoption of the strategic plan, but no later than November 30,
11   2027, the commission shall issue a report containing a summary
12   of the commission's activities and the contents of the strategic
13   plan. The commission shall submit the report to the Governor and
14   each member of the General Assembly.
15      (c)   Annual reports.--Beginning November 30, 2028, and each
16   year thereafter, the commission shall issue a report on the
17   status of the implementation of the commission's strategic plan.
18   The report may contain any other recommendations of the
19   commission to address poverty and economic insecurity in this
20   Commonwealth.
21   Section 504.    Duties of Secretary of the Budget.
22      The Secretary of the Budget shall include in the materials
23   submitted to the General Assembly outlining the Governor's
24   proposed annual budget a description of any budget proposals or
25   other activities, ongoing projects and plans of the executive
26   branch designed to meet the goals and objectives of the
27   strategic plan. The information shall include the following:
28            (1)   An accounting of the savings to the Commonwealth
29      from any increased efficiencies in the delivery of services.
30            (2)   Any savings realized from reducing the number of

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 1      individuals living in poverty and reducing the demand for
 2      need-based services and benefits.
 3          (3)     A projection of any increase in revenue collections
 4      due to any increase in the number of individuals who become
 5      employed and pay taxes into the State Treasury.
 6          (4)     Any other information related to the proposed annual
 7      budget that the Secretary of the Budget believes furthers the
 8      goals and objectives of the strategic plan.
 9                                 CHAPTER 7
10                          MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
11   Section 701.    (Reserved).
12   Section 702.    (Reserved).
13   Section 703.    Effective date.
14      This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.




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