SB 151 — An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in Independent Fiscal Office, further providing for definitions and for duties of office and providing for poverty impact analysis.

PRINTER'S NO.   180

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 151
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, HAYWOOD, STREET, COLLETT, KEARNEY,
        SCHWANK, SAVAL, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE AND KANE, FEBRUARY 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO APPROPRIATIONS, FEBRUARY 3, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled
 2      "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the
 3      executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the
 4      Executive Department thereof and the administrative
 5      departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof,
 6      including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or
 7      Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or
 8      authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative
 9      departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and
10      duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative
11      officers, and of the several administrative departments,
12      boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the
13      Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive
14      and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of
15      certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and
16      other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards,
17      and commissions; providing for judicial administration; and
18      prescribing the manner in which the number and compensation
19      of the deputies and all other assistants and employes of
20      certain departments, boards and commissions shall be
21      determined," in Independent Fiscal Office, further providing
22      for definitions and for duties of office and providing for
23      poverty impact analysis.
24      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
25   hereby enacts as follows:
26      Section 1.    Section 602-B of the act of April 9, 1929
27   (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, is
28   amended by adding definitions to read:
 1   Section 602-B.      Definitions.
 2      The following words and phrases when used in this article
 3   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
 4   context clearly indicates otherwise:
 5      * * *
 6      "Poverty impact analysis."       An analysis of:
 7          (1)   A proposed budget that includes:
 8                (i)    A projected ratio equal to the amount of
 9          appropriations in the proposed budget that will benefit
10          individuals and families below the poverty threshold over
11          the total amount of appropriations in the proposed
12          budget.
13                (ii)    A projection of the number of individual and
14          family incomes that may:
15                       (A)   decrease below the poverty threshold if the
16                proposed budget is enacted; or
17                       (B)   increase above the poverty threshold if the
18                proposed budget is enacted.
19                (iii)    A projection as to how the proposed budget
20          improves or reduces access to basic human services,
21          including health care, housing and education.
22          (2)   An enacted budget that includes:
23                (i)    A projected ratio equal to the amount of
24          appropriations in the proposed budget that will benefit
25          individuals and families below the poverty threshold over
26          the total amount of appropriations in the proposed
27          budget.
28                (ii)    A projection of the number of individual and
29          family incomes that may:
30                       (A)   decrease below the poverty threshold if the

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 1                  proposed budget is enacted; or
 2                      (B)   increase above the poverty threshold if the
 3                  proposed budget is enacted.
 4                  (iii)   A projection as to how the proposed budget
 5            improves or reduces access to basic human services,
 6            including health care, housing and education.
 7            (3)   Any bill, amendment or joint resolution to determine
 8      the impact, if any, the proposed bill, amendment or joint
 9      resolution may have on the poverty and deep poverty rate of
10      this Commonwealth.
11      "Poverty threshold."      Household income level below 200% of
12   the Federal poverty level.
13      * * *
14      Section 2.     Section 604-B(a) of the act is amended by adding
15   a paragraph to read:
16   Section 604-B.     Duties of office.
17      (a)   Mandatory.--The office shall:
18            * * *
19            (4.1)   Conduct a poverty impact analysis authorized under
20      section 616-B.
21            * * *
22      Section 3.     The act is amended by adding a section to read:
23   Section 616-B.     Poverty impact analysis.
24      (a)   Analysis required.--The office shall conduct a poverty
25   impact analysis of the following:
26            (1)   The Governor's proposed General Fund Budget, which
27      shall be completed by May 1 of each year.
28            (2)   The enacted General Fund Budget of the fiscal year,
29      which shall be completed within 90 days after the enactment
30      of the General Fund Budget.

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 1            (3)   Any bill, amendment or joint resolution on written
 2      request of a requesting officer.
 3      (b)   Second consideration prohibited.--Except as otherwise
 4   provided in subsection (d)(1), a bill for which a poverty impact
 5   analysis has been requested under subsection (a)(3) may not be
 6   given second consideration by the chamber of the General
 7   Assembly whose member made the request until the office has
 8   attached the poverty impact analysis.
 9      (c)   Amendment.--Except as otherwise provided in subsection
10   (d)(2), an amendment for which a poverty impact analysis has
11   been requested under subsection (a)(3) or the bill to which the
12   amendment is offered may not be considered by the chamber of the
13   General Assembly whose member made the request until the office
14   has attached a poverty impact analysis.
15      (d)   Failure to attach.--
16            (1)   If the office fails to attach a poverty impact
17      analysis to a bill within 10 legislative days after a request
18      for a statement has been submitted to the office, the bill
19      may be further considered in the same manner as if the
20      analysis were attached to the bill.
21            (2)   If the office fails to attach a poverty impact
22      analysis to an amendment within 10 legislative days after a
23      request for a statement has been submitted to the office, the
24      bill and the amendment may be considered in the same manner
25      as if the analysis were attached to the amendment.
26      (e)   Readability.--The poverty impact statement shall be
27   impartial, simple and understandable.
28      Section 4.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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