HB 1113 | Creating the Office of New Pennsylvanians

Session: 2025-2026

ACLU-PA Position: Supports

HB 1113 (PN 1235) would create the Office of New Pennsylvanians within the Department of Community and Economic Development to ensure that skilled, energetic and entrepreneurial immigrants are attracted, retained and integrated into the economic, social, civic, and cultural fabric of Pennsylvania. This new office would:

• Respond to inquiries from Commonwealth agencies, the media, immigrant-serving organizations and the public about immigration issues in this Commonwealth.
• Serve as point of contact for Commonwealth licensing boards and the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.
• Serve as an information clearinghouse for Commonwealth agencies on immigration-related policy issues and coordinate among agencies as appropriate.
• Analyze economic, demographic and other trends impacting immigrants in this Commonwealth and make policy recommendations.
• Ensure that the Commonwealth is gathering relevant data to inform the Commonwealth’s policy making on immigrant issues.
• Develop strategies to attract, retain and integrate immigrants into this Commonwealth.
• Convene stakeholders in business development and international trade promotion programs to increase capacity to utilize immigrant contributors.
• Disseminate information to new and prospective immigrant residents of this Commonwealth who wish to invest capital, launch businesses or apply their skills in this Commonwealth.
• Convene municipal officials to boost peer learning on increasing immigration in cities of the third class struggling with population loss and economic decline.
• Convene college and university officials to foster learning on strategies for immigrant and international student retention.
• Provide matching grant funds for high-quality immigration and economic development programs that can demonstrate corporate or philanthropic investment.
• Disseminate information about available services to assist new and prospective immigrant residents of this Commonwealth on the path to naturalization.
• Disseminate information about legal services available to new Pennsylvanians in civil legal matters, including housing, family, immigration and other matters.
• Disseminate information about English language instruction and resources available to immigrant residents of this Commonwealth.
• Convene stakeholders in Commonwealth agencies, immigrant-serving organizations and the public to identify and reduce exploitation and fraud against immigrants.
• Convene stakeholders in Commonwealth agencies, immigrant-serving organizations and the public to promote race, sex, gender, age, income and LGBTQ equity and to identify and reduce inequities.
• Develop strategies to provide immigrants with meaningful access to Commonwealth resources and opportunities regardless of their level of English proficiency.