HB 2148 requires Pennsylvania school entities (including school districts, charter schools, and cyber charters) to adopt policies ensuring all students, parents, guardians, and school personnel can access school property regardless of immigration status. Specifically, schools must develop and publicly adopt inclusive policies within 90 days of the bill’s effective date, requiring school boards to approve these policies via public resolution with 45 days’ notice. Policies must be published in all languages spoken by students at home and reviewed quarterly to maintain accessibility. The bill explicitly prohibits immigration or law enforcement officials (including ICE, Customs, and local agencies acting under federal immigration authority) from restricting access to school zones without proper legal process. This directly affects all Pennsylvania public and private schools serving students, mandating concrete procedural changes to protect school access.
SB 1139, the Police and Community Safety Act, prohibits Pennsylvania state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources (including funds, facilities, or personnel) to assist federal immigration enforcement. It bans officers from inquiring about an individual's immigration status except when required by federal law (such as for gun purchases under 18 U.S.C. § 922(d)(5)) and prevents agencies from detaining individuals for immigration purposes. The bill aims to build trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement to improve public safety, directly affecting all local police departments, sheriff's offices, and school security in Pennsylvania.
This bill amends Pennsylvania's Human Relations Act to allow individuals who have been subject to or witnessed civil rights violations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents or cooperating federal/state/local law enforcement during immigration enforcement to file complaints with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. The Commission can then refer these complaints to the state Attorney General or the relevant county district attorney. It directly affects Pennsylvanians experiencing or witnessing such violations within the state. The change expands the Commission's authority to address immigration-related enforcement issues under state law.
HB 1356 prohibits Pennsylvania state and local government agencies from requiring REAL ID-compliant identification to access public buildings or receive government services. Instead, it allows standard driver's licenses, non-driver photo IDs, or other similar identification to be accepted as valid alternatives. The bill clarifies that agencies cannot demand identification if it is not otherwise necessary for a service or building access. This directly affects all state and local government services and the residents who use them.
HB 1408 amends Pennsylvania's 1929 Administrative Code to require all Commonwealth government materials and services - such as printed documents, websites, and public services - to be exclusively in English. This applies to state agencies and local political subdivisions, mandating English as the sole language unless federal law specifically requires otherwise. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment, establishing a clear policy that eliminates the use of non-English materials in official government communications.
HB 1225 amends Pennsylvania's Nursing Home Administrators License Act to clarify specific requirements for licensure and temporary permits. It explicitly states that candidates must be U.S. citizens (or have declared intent to become citizens) and meet age, moral character, and education standards under Section 6(a). The bill also clarifies that temporary permits for nursing home administrators require proof of citizenship, age, and good moral character, as outlined in Section 14(a). These changes affect individuals seeking nursing home administrator licensure or temporary permits in Pennsylvania.
HB 1222 amends Pennsylvania's Funeral Director Law by removing a requirement that applicants must be U.S. citizens. The bill changes qualification standards to require only that applicants are at least 21 years old and hold a Pennsylvania high school diploma or equivalent education. This change directly affects individuals seeking funeral director licenses in Pennsylvania who previously faced citizenship barriers. The amendment takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 621 creates a new criminal offense for unauthorized aliens who possess, use, or attempt to use Pennsylvania's benefit transfer devices, such as the ACCESS card or electronic benefit transfer card. The law defines "unauthorized alien" as someone not eligible for state benefits under federal law (8 U.S.C. § 1621(a)) and classifies each violation as a separate third-degree felony. This directly affects non-citizens who are ineligible for state benefits but attempt to access programs like food assistance through these devices. The bill amends Pennsylvania’s criminal code to specifically address fraud involving benefit cards, without changing eligibility rules for benefits themselves.
HB 403 preempts Pennsylvania municipalities from adopting policies that block law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. It prohibits local governments from restricting officers from complying with federal immigration requests, assisting ICE, allowing ICE access to county jails, inquiring about immigration status of people in custody, or sharing release information. The bill establishes an "Immigration Cooperation Fund" to support this cooperation, though specific funding mechanisms are not detailed in the provided text. This directly affects all Pennsylvania cities, towns, counties, and their law enforcement officers, judicial staff, and correctional personnel.
HB 896 requires Pennsylvania courts to impose the death penalty on defendants convicted of first-degree murder who are documented as undocumented migrants under U.S. immigration law (defined as violating 8 U.S.C. Ch. 12). The bill amends sentencing procedures to mandate this specific penalty after the court records the defendant's undocumented status, replacing standard sentencing considerations. It directly affects individuals facing first-degree murder charges who lack legal immigration status in the U.S.
