HB 1791 — An Act establishing the Climate Emergency Basic Income Program and the Emergency Stabilization Fund; and imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

PRINTER'S NO.   2201

                   THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                       HOUSE BILL
                       No. 1791
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY WAXMAN, FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, K.HARRIS AND
        KINKEAD, AUGUST 7, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, AUGUST 10, 2025


                                   AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Climate Emergency Basic Income Program and the
 2      Emergency Stabilization Fund; and imposing duties on the
 3      Department of Labor and Industry and the Pennsylvania
 4      Emergency Management Agency.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7   Section 1.   Short title.
 8      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Climate
 9   Emergency Basic Income Act.
10   Section 2.   Legislative findings.
11      The General Assembly finds and declares that:
12          (1)   Climate-related disasters are increasing in
13      frequency, severity and impact on vulnerable communities.
14          (2)   Many Pennsylvanians, including unhoused individuals,
15      face catastrophic losses from floods, fires, storms and other
16      emergencies but are excluded from existing forms of aid.
17          (3)   State-declared disasters demand rapid, unconditional
18      financial relief to support recovery, stabilize lives and
 1      reduce long-term harm.
 2          (4)     The Climate Emergency Basic Income Program
 3      established under this act will deliver essential income to
 4      survivors of disaster in a dignified and equitable manner.
 5   Section 3.   Definitions.
 6      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
 7   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
 8   context clearly indicates otherwise:
 9      "Agency."    The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
10      "Catastrophic property loss."        A total or near-total loss of
11   personal property, shelter or possessions essential to daily
12   life, regardless of ownership status, including:
13          (1)     Destruction of a house, apartment, tent, vehicle or
14      encampment used for living.
15          (2)     Loss of belongings such as identification, clothing,
16      medical devices, work tools or survival necessities.
17          (3)     Eviction or displacement due to environmental
18      hazards or official evacuation orders.
19      "Department."    The Department of Labor and Industry of the
20   Commonwealth.
21      "Group-based eligibility area."       A defined location
22   designated by emergency responders or public authorities as
23   uninhabitable, destroyed or unsafe due to a qualifying disaster.
24   The term includes shelters, encampments, mobile home parks,
25   apartment buildings and neighborhoods.
26      "Program."    The Climate Emergency Basic Income Program
27   established under section 4.
28      "Qualifying disaster."    A disaster or emergency that results
29   in a formal declaration by the Governor involving floods,
30   storms, wildfires, extreme temperatures or other climate-related

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 1   events.
 2      "Serious injury."      A physical injury caused directly by a
 3   disaster that requires hospitalization or results in long-term
 4   impairment.
 5      "Unbanked individual."        An individual who does not have
 6   practical or consistent access to a functional bank account or
 7   traditional financial services.
 8   Section 4.      Establishment.
 9      The Climate Emergency Basic Income Program is established
10   within the department to provide benefits under this act.
11   Section 5.      Eligibility.
12      (a)    Requirements.--An individual shall be eligible for
13   program benefits if the individual:
14             (1)   Resides in or regularly occupies a qualifying
15      disaster area at the time of the qualifying disaster.
16             (2)   Experiences catastrophic property loss or serious
17      injury.
18      (b)    Automatic eligibility.--An individual shall be
19   automatically eligible for the program if the individual lives
20   in or regularly occupies a group-based eligibility area at the
21   time of the qualifying disaster. Individual documentation of
22   ownership, lease or formal residency shall not be required.
23      (c)    Limitation.--An individual shall not be deemed
24   ineligible for the program due to lack of government-issued
25   identification, permanent address or insurance status.
26   Section 6.      Program benefits.
27      (a)    Amount.--Each eligible adult shall receive $1,000 per
28   month for a maximum period of six months following a qualifying
29   disaster.
30      (b)    Additional amount.--An additional $500 per month shall

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 1   be provided for each dependent child under 18 years of age or
 2   for a dependent adult with a disability.
 3      (c)   Payments.--Payments shall be made monthly via direct
 4   deposit or prepaid debit card. The Commonwealth shall ensure
 5   that accessible options are available for unbanked individuals.
 6   Section 7.     Administration.
 7      (a)   Joint administration.--The program shall be jointly
 8   administered by:
 9            (1)   The agency, which shall:
10                  (i)    Identify qualifying disasters and affected
11            regions.
12                  (ii)    Designate group-based eligibility areas in
13            coordination with municipal governments, emergency
14            responders and service organizations.
15                  (iii)    Maintain a Statewide disaster eligibility
16            registry.
17            (2)   The department, which shall:
18                  (i)    Manage application intake, verification and
19            benefit delivery.
20                  (ii)    Accept applications for the program for up to
21            60 days following the date of a disaster declaration.
22                  (iii)    Operate a multilingual online application
23            portal, call center and in-person access options.
24                  (iv)    Disburse payments and manage fraud prevention
25            and audit compliance in coordination with the State
26            Treasury.
27      (b)   Outreach and enrollment support.--The agency and the
28   department may enter into agreements with local governments,
29   nonprofit organizations and emergency service providers to
30   conduct outreach, verify eligibility and assist individuals in

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 1   applying for benefits.
 2      (c)   Joint guidance.--Within 30 days of the effective date of
 3   this subsection, the agency and the department shall issue joint
 4   operational guidance to ensure rapid deployment and clear
 5   division of responsibilities.
 6   Section 8.     Emergency Stabilization Fund.
 7      (a)   Establishment.--The Emergency Stabilization Fund is
 8   established as a separate fund in the State Treasury. Money in
 9   the fund is appropriated on a continuing basis to the department
10   for the program.
11      (b)   Sources of money.--Money in the fund shall consist of:
12            (1)   Appropriations from the General Assembly.
13            (2)   Additional funding under subsection (c).
14      (c)   Additional funding.--The agency and the department shall
15   coordinate to pursue Federal reimbursement, philanthropic
16   contributions and emergency block grants where applicable.
17   Section 9.     Reporting.
18      Within one year of each qualifying disaster, the department
19   shall submit a report to the General Assembly that includes:
20            (1)   The total number of individuals served by the
21      program.
22            (2)   Aggregate disbursement amounts.
23            (3)   Geographic and demographic breakdowns.
24            (4)   Administrative costs and implementation timelines.
25            (5)   Policy recommendations for future disasters.
26   Section 10.     Effective date.
27      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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