SB 24 — An Act establishing the Office of New Americans and providing for its powers and duties; and establishing the Advisory Committee to Office of New Americans and providing for its powers, duties and membership.

PRINTER'S NO.   9

                    THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                       SENATE BILL
                       No. 24
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

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

     REFERRED TO COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
        JANUARY 22, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Office of New Americans and providing for its
 2      powers and duties; and establishing the Advisory Committee to
 3      Office of New Americans and providing for its powers, duties
 4      and membership.
 5                            TABLE OF CONTENTS
 6   Chapter 1.   Preliminary Provisions
 7   Section 101.   Short title.
 8   Section 102.   Legislative policy and declarations.
 9   Section 103.   Definitions.
10   Chapter 3.   Office of New Americans
11   Section 301.   Establishment of office.
12   Section 302.   Powers and duties of office.
13   Chapter 5.   Advisory Committee to Office of New Americans
14   Section 501.   Establishment of advisory committee.
15   Section 502.   Membership.
16   Section 503.   Powers and duties of advisory committee.
17   Chapter 7.   Miscellaneous Provisions
18   Section 701.   Effective date.
 1      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 2   hereby enacts as follows:
 3                                  CHAPTER 1
 4                           PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
 5   Section 101.    Short title.
 6      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Office of New
 7   Americans Act.
 8   Section 102.    Legislative policy and declarations.
 9      The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
10          (1)     According to the United States Census Bureau,
11      Pennsylvania ranked 42nd among the 50 states in population
12      growth from April 1, 2010, to July 1, 2013, increasing only
13      0.56%.
14          (2)     In 2012, Pennsylvania's 769,264 foreign-born
15      individuals comprised 6% of this Commonwealth's population,
16      an increase of 1.9% since 2000.
17          (3)     Throughout this Commonwealth's history, immigrants
18      have played a critical role in this Commonwealth's economic,
19      cultural and political growth and success.
20          (4)     Policies that promote the attraction, retention and
21      integration of immigrants will help enhance this
22      Commonwealth's economy and diversity, thereby improving the
23      lives of all residents and helping to remove barriers that
24      may undermine immigrants' full potential.
25          (5)     Immigrants currently fill skilled positions
26      throughout this Commonwealth's economy and are a vital part
27      of this Commonwealth's economy and tax base.
28          (6)     Thirty-eight percent of immigrants in this
29      Commonwealth have a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or
30      graduate degree, compared to 28% of United-States-born

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 1      Pennsylvanians.
 2          (7)     Organizations, including the Welcoming Center for
 3      New Pennsylvanians and Vibrant Pittsburgh, are providing
 4      leadership in this Commonwealth's immigrant integration
 5      efforts through programs and services that connect newcomers
 6      and longtime Pennsylvanians to economic opportunity.
 7          (8)     It is essential for this Commonwealth's future that
 8      skilled, energetic and entrepreneurial immigrants are
 9      attracted and retained. Their presence helps to bolster this
10      Commonwealth's economy and strengthen the social and cultural
11      fabric.
12          (9)     States enforce and provide for many services,
13      licenses and educational and economic opportunities that make
14      it imperative to offer guidance to State government agencies
15      and to immigrants on how to navigate these resources.
16          (10)    The creation of an Office of New Americans will
17      help to improve the lives of immigrants and Pennsylvanians
18      generally by recognizing these facts and promoting these
19      goals.
20   Section 103.    Definitions.
21      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
22   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
23   context clearly indicates otherwise:
24      "Advisory committee."       The Advisory Committee to Office of
25   New Americans established in section 501.
26      "Department."    The Department of Community and Economic
27   Development of the Commonwealth.
28      "Office."    The Office of New Americans established in section
29   301.
30      "Secretary."    The Secretary of Community and Economic

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 1   Development of the Commonwealth.
 2                                 CHAPTER 3
 3                          OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS
 4   Section 301.    Establishment of office.
 5      The Office of New Americans is established within the
 6   department.
 7   Section 302.    Powers and duties of office.
 8      The office shall:
 9          (1)     Respond to inquiries from Commonwealth agencies, the
10      media, immigrant-serving organizations and the public about
11      immigration issues in this Commonwealth.
12          (2)     Serve as point of contact for Commonwealth licensing
13      boards and the Bureau of Professional and Occupational
14      Affairs.
15          (3)     Serve as an information clearinghouse for
16      Commonwealth agencies on immigration-related policy issues
17      and coordinate among agencies as appropriate.
18          (4)     Analyze economic and demographic trends and make
19      policy recommendations.
20          (5)     Develop strategies to attract, retain and
21      incorporate immigrants into this Commonwealth.
22          (6)     Ensure that the Commonwealth is gathering relevant
23      data to inform the Commonwealth's policy making on immigrant
24      issues.
25          (7)     Convene stakeholders in business development and
26      international trade promotion programs to increase capacity
27      to draw on immigrant contributors.
28          (8)     Disseminate information to new and prospective
29      immigrant residents of this Commonwealth who wish to invest
30      capital, launch businesses or apply their skills in this

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 1      Commonwealth.
 2            (9)    Convene municipal officials to boost peer learning
 3      on increasing immigration in cities of the third class
 4      struggling with population loss and economic decline.
 5            (10)    Convene college and university officials to foster
 6      learning on strategies for immigrant and international
 7      student retention.
 8            (11)    Provide matching grant funds for high-quality
 9      immigration and economic development programs that can
10      demonstrate corporate or philanthropic investment.
11            (12)    Evaluate the success of activities and adjust
12      courses as appropriate.
13                                  CHAPTER 5
14                            ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO
15                           OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS
16   Section 501.     Establishment of advisory committee.
17      The Advisory Committee to Office of New Americans is
18   established within the office and shall serve in an advisory
19   capacity to the office in matters regarding immigrants in this
20   Commonwealth. The advisory committee shall be staffed and
21   administered by the office.
22   Section 502.     Membership.
23      (a)   Public official members.--The advisory committee shall
24   consist of the following members, who shall serve by virtue of
25   their public position:
26            (1)    The secretary or a designee.
27            (2)    The Secretary of Administration or a designee.
28            (3)    The Secretary of Education or a designee.
29            (4)    The Secretary of Health or a designee.
30            (5)    The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.

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 1            (6)    The Secretary of Labor and Industry or a designee.
 2            (7)    The Secretary of Transportation or a designee.
 3            (8)    The Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police or a
 4      designee.
 5      (b)   Nongovernmental members.--The advisory committee shall
 6   consist of nongovernmental members to be appointed by the
 7   Governor as follows:
 8            (1)    Two members from an organization that attracts,
 9      retains and integrates immigrants into this Commonwealth's
10      society.
11            (2)    One member from a Pennsylvania chapter of the
12      American Immigration Lawyers Association.
13            (3)    One member from an institution of higher education
14      who has a primary focus on immigration issues.
15            (4)    One member from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business
16      and Industry or a similar local advocate for economic
17      improvement.
18            (5)    One member with expertise in accessing language
19      resources for those who use English as a second language.
20            (6)    One member from the Pennsylvania banking sector.
21            (7)    One member from a workforce training agency.
22            (8)    One member from the health care sector.
23            (9)    One member from the health insurance sector.
24            (10)    One member from a human services agency.
25            (11)    One member from a refugee resettlement agency.
26      (c)   Voting.--
27            (1)    All members appointed shall hold voting privileges
28      on all matters brought for consideration before the advisory
29      committee.
30            (2)    A simple majority of members with current

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

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 1            (3)   Serve as a resource to all departments, commissions
 2      and agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction to ensure that
 3      these government entities are cognizant of the needs of
 4      immigrants and that their respective services and programs
 5      are accessible to immigrants.
 6            (4)   Work with the office to monitor the practices of
 7      Commonwealth agencies relating to the attraction, retention
 8      and integration of immigrants in order to maximize the
 9      efficiency and accessibility to State government.
10            (5)   Perform other duties as the Governor and secretary
11      may assign in planning for services and programs for
12      immigrants.
13      (b)   Studies and reports.--The advisory committee may conduct
14   studies and issue reports upon request and as it deems necessary
15   on issues affecting immigrants in this Commonwealth.
16      (c)   Public hearings.--The advisory committee shall conduct
17   at least one public hearing each year to receive testimony and
18   public comments on how State government can improve the
19   attraction, retention and integration of immigrants in this
20   Commonwealth.
21      (d)   Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
22   construed to prevent the advisory committee from establishing ad
23   hoc work groups or local committees to assist in research and
24   other duties necessary to carry out the mission of the office.
25                                 CHAPTER 7
26                          MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
27   Section 701.    Effective date.
28      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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