1Establishing the Office of New Americans and fixing its powers
2and duties; and establishing the Advisory Committee to Office
3of New Americans and providing for its powers, duties and
4membership.

5TABLE OF CONTENTS

6Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions

7Section 101. Short title.

8Section 102. Legislative policy and declarations.

9Section 103. Definitions.

10Chapter 3. Office of New Americans

11Section 301. Establishment.

12Section 302. Powers and duties of office.

13Chapter 5. Advisory Committee to Office of New Americans

14Section 501. Establishment.

15Section 502. Membership.

16Section 503. Powers and duties of advisory committee.

17Chapter 7. Miscellaneous Provisions

18Section 701. Effective date.

1The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
2hereby enacts as follows:

3CHAPTER 1

4PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS

5Section 101. Short title.

6This act shall be known and may be cited as the Office of New
7Americans Act.

8Section 102. Legislative policy and declarations.

9The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

10(1) According to the Census Bureau, Pennsylvania ranked
1142 amongst the 50 states in population growth from April 1,
122010, to July 1, 2013, increasing only .56%.

13(2) In 2012, Pennsylvania's 769,264 foreign-born
14individuals comprised 6% of this Commonwealth's population,
15an increase of 1.9% since 2000.

16(3) Throughout this Commonwealth's history, immigrants
17have played a critical role in this Commonwealth's economic,
18cultural, and political growth and success.

19(4) Policies that promote the attraction, retention and
20integration of immigrants will help enhance this
21Commonwealth's economy and diversity, thereby improving the
22lives of all citizens and helping to remove barriers that may
23undermine immigrants' full potential.

24(5) Immigrants currently fill skilled positions
25throughout this Commonwealth's economy and are a vital part
26of this Commonwealth's economy and tax base.

27(6) Thirty-six percent of immigrants in this
28Commonwealth have a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science or
29graduate degree, compared to 26% of United-States-born
30Pennsylvanians.

1(7) Organizations such as the Welcoming Center for New
2Pennsylvanians and Vibrant Pittsburgh are providing
3leadership in this Commonwealth's immigrant integration
4efforts through programs and services that connect newcomers
5and longtime Pennsylvanians to economic opportunity.

6(8) It is essential for this Commonwealth's future that
7skilled, energetic and entrepreneurial immigrants are
8attracted and retained. Their presence helps to bolster this
9Commonwealth's economy and strengthen the social and cultural
10fabric.

11(9) States enforce and provide for many services,
12licenses and educational and economic opportunities that make
13it imperative to offer guidance to State government agencies
14and to immigrants on how to navigate these resources.

15(10) The creation of an Office of New Americans will
16help to improve the lives of immigrants and Pennsylvanians
17generally by recognizing these facts and promoting these
18goals.

19Section 103. Definitions.

20The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
21have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
22context clearly indicates otherwise:

23"Advisory committee." The Advisory Committee to Office of
24New Americans.

25"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
26Development of the Commonwealth.

27"Office." The Office of New Americans.

28"Secretary." The Secretary of Community and Economic
29Development of the Commonwealth.

30CHAPTER 3

1OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS

2Section 301. Establishment.

3The Office of New Americans is established within the
4department.

5Section 302. Powers and duties of office.

6The office shall do all of the following:

7(1) Respond to inquiries from Commonwealth agencies, the
8media, immigrant-serving organizations and the public about
9immigration issues in this Commonwealth.

10(2) Serve as point of contact for Commonwealth licensing
11boards and the Bureau of Professional and Occupational
12Affairs.

13(3) Serve as an information clearinghouse for
14Commonwealth agencies on immigration-related policy issues
15and coordinate among agencies as appropriate.

16(4) Analyze economic and demographic trends and make
17policy recommendations.

18(5) Develop strategies to attract, retain and
19incorporate immigrants into this Commonwealth.

20(6) Ensure that the Commonwealth is gathering relevant
21data to inform its policymaking on immigrant issues.

22(7) Convene stakeholders in business development and
23international trade promotion programs to increase their
24capacity to draw on immigrant contributors.

25(8) Disseminate information to new and prospective
26immigrant residents of this Commonwealth who wish to invest
27capital, launch businesses or apply their skills in this
28Commonwealth.

29(9) Convene municipal officials to boost peer learning
30on immigration possibilities among cities of the third class

1struggling with population loss and economic decline.

2(10) Convene college and university officials to foster
3learning on strategies for immigrant and international
4student retention.

5(11) Provide matching grant funds for high-quality
6immigration and economic development programs that can
7demonstrate corporate or philanthropic investment.

8(12) Evaluate success of activities and adjust courses
9as appropriate.

10CHAPTER 5

11ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO

12OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS

13Section 501. Establishment.

14The Advisory Committee to Office of New Americans is
15established within the office and shall serve in an advisory
16capacity to the office in matters regarding immigrants in this
17Commonwealth. The advisory committee shall be staffed and
18administered by the office.

19Section 502. Membership.

20(a) Public official members.--The advisory committee shall
21consist of the following members, who shall serve by virtue of
22their public position:

23(1) The secretary or a designee.

24(2) The Secretary of Administration or a designee.

25(3) The Secretary of Labor and Industry or a designee.

26(4) The Secretary of Education or a designee.

27(5) The Secretary of Public Welfare or a designee.

28(6) The Secretary of Health or a designee.

29(7) The Secretary of Transportation or a designee.

30(8) The Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police or a

1designee.

2(b) Nongovernmental members.--The advisory committee shall
3consist of nongovernmental members to be appointed by the
4Governor as follows:

5(1) Two members from an organization that attracts,
6retains and integrates immigrants into this Commonwealth's
7society.

8(2) One member from the Pennsylvania chapter of the
9American Immigration Lawyers Association.

10(3) One member from an institution of higher education
11who has a primary focus on immigration issues.

12(4) One member from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce
13or a similar local advocate for economic improvement.

14(5) One member with expertise in accessing language
15resources for those who use English as a second language.

16(6) One member from the Pennsylvania banking sector.

17(7) One member from a work force training agency.

18(8) One member from the health care sector.

19(9) One member from the health insurance sector.

20(10) One member from a human services agency.

21(11) One member from a refugee resettlement agency.

22(c) Voting.--

23(1) All members appointed shall hold voting privileges
24on all matters brought up for consideration by the advisory
25committee.

26(2) A simple majority of those members with current
27appointments of the advisory committee shall constitute a
28quorum for the transaction of any business. An action adopted
29by the majority of the members present at any meeting in
30which there is a quorum shall be deemed to be an act of the

1advisory committee.

2(d) Terms.--

3(1) The terms of the members under subsection (a) shall
4be concurrent with their holding of the public office.

5(2) Members appointed under subsection (b) shall serve
6three-year terms as long as they represent the interest of
7the membership class for which they were appointed, and shall
8serve until their successors are appointed.

9(e) Chairperson.--The secretary shall serve as chairperson
10of the advisory committee.

11(f) Expenses of members.--Members of the advisory committee
12shall receive no compensation for their services. Members who
13are not employees of State government shall be reimbursed at
14established Commonwealth rates for expenses incurred in the
15performance of their duties on the advisory committee.

16Section 503. Powers and duties of advisory committee.

17(a) General rule.--The advisory committee shall:

18(1) Make recommendations to the Governor and the
19secretary on policies, procedures, regulations and
20legislation that helps to attract, retain and integrate
21immigrants into this Commonwealth's society.

22(2) Serve as the Governor's liaison to new Americans on
23policies, procedures, regulations and legislation that affect
24immigrants, in order to ensure that State government is
25accessible, accountable and responsive to their needs.

26(3) Serve as a resource to all departments, commissions
27and agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction to ensure that
28these government entities are cognizant of the needs of
29immigrants and that their respective services and programs
30are accessible to immigrants.

1(4) Work with the office to monitor the practices of
2Commonwealth agencies relating to the attraction, retention
3and integration of immigrants in order to maximize the
4efficiency and accessibility to State government.

5(5) Perform such other duties as the Governor and
6secretary may assign in planning for services and programs
7for immigrants.

8(b) Studies and reports.--The advisory committee may conduct
9studies and issue reports upon request and as it deems necessary
10on issues affecting immigrants in this Commonwealth.

11(c) Public hearings.--The advisory committee shall conduct
12at least one public hearing each year to receive testimony and
13public comments on how State government can improve the
14attraction, retention and integration of immigrants in this
15Commonwealth.

16(d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
17construed to prevent the advisory committee from establishing ad
18hoc work groups or local committees to assist in research and
19other duties necessary to carry out the mission of the office.

20CHAPTER 7

21MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

22Section 701. Effective date.

23This act shall take effect in 60 days.