PRINTER'S NO. 571
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
468
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, HAYWOOD, COLLETT, KANE, KEARNEY, FONTANA,
SANTARSIERO, STREET, COSTA AND MUTH, APRIL 13, 2021
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, APRIL 13, 2021
AN ACT
Providing for the study of intergenerational poverty;
establishing the intergenerational poverty tracking system,
the Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic Insecurity
and the Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination and
Economic Security; and providing for a strategic plan, for
reports and for duties of the Department of Human Services
and the Secretary of the Budget.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Intergenerational Poverty
Section 301. Intergenerational poverty tracking system.
Section 302. Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic
Insecurity.
Section 303. Powers and duties.
Section 304. Report.
Chapter 5. Poverty Elimination and Economic Security Strategic
Planning
Section 501. The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination
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and Economic Security.
Section 502. Strategic plan to address poverty and economic
insecurity.
Section 503. Commission reports.
Section 504. Duties of the Secretary of the Budget.
Chapter 7. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 701. (Reserved).
Section 702. (Reserved).
Section 703. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the
Intergenerational Poverty Act.
Section 102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Antipoverty program." A program with the primary goal of
lifting individuals out of poverty and improving economic
opportunities for individuals that operates, in whole or in
part, utilizing Federal or State money.
"Asset poverty." The inability of an individual to access
wealth resources sufficient to provide for basic needs for a
period of three months.
"Child." An individual who is under 18 years of age.
"Commission." The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty
Elimination and Economic Security established under section
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501(a).
"Commonwealth poverty measure." A uniform method for
measuring poverty in this Commonwealth that considers indicators
and measures, other than traditional income-based measures of
poverty, that provide a detailed picture of low-income and
poverty populations and meaningfully account for other factors
contributing to poverty and may include:
(1) access to health care, housing, proper nutrition and
quality education;
(2) the number of individuals kept out of poverty by
government supports;
(3) the number of individuals who are impoverished due
to medical expenses, child-care expenses or work expenses;
(4) the rates of food insecurity;
(5) the number of individuals in asset poverty;
(6) the number of disconnected youth;
(7) the teen birth rate;
(8) the participation rate in Federal and State
antipoverty programs for all eligible populations;
(9) the number of individuals who do not use a bank or
similar financial institution;
(10) regional differences in costs of living;
(11) income necessary to achieve economic security and a
livable standard of living in different regions of this
Commonwealth;
(12) the impact of rising income inequality;
(13) the impact of the digital divide; and
(14) the impact of trauma on intergenerational poverty.
"Cycle of poverty." The set of factors or events by which
the long-term poverty of an individual is likely to continue and
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be experienced by each child of the individual when the child
becomes an adult unless there is outside intervention.
"Deep poverty." An economic condition where an individual or
family has a total annual income that is less than 50% of the
Federal poverty level for the individual or family as provided
in the annual report of the United States Census Bureau on
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United
States.
"Department." The Department of Human Services of the
Commonwealth.
"Deprivation." A lack of adequate nutrition, health care,
housing or other resources to provide for basic needs.
"Digital divide." The gap between individuals, households,
businesses and geographic areas at different socioeconomic
levels related to access to information and communication
technologies, including the imbalance in physical access to
technology and the resources, education and skills needed to
effectively use computer technology and the Internet for a wide
variety of activities.
"Disconnected youth." Individuals who are 16 years of age to
25 years of age who are unemployed and not enrolled in school.
"Disparate impact." The historic and ongoing impacts of the
pattern and practice of discrimination in employment, education,
housing, banking and other aspects of life in the economy,
society or culture that have an adverse impact on minorities,
women or other protected groups, regardless of whether those
practices are motivated by discriminatory intent.
"Economic insecurity." The inability to cope with routine
adverse or costly life events and recover from the costly
consequences of those events and the lack of economic means to
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maintain an adequate standard of living.
"Economic security." Having access to the economic means and
support necessary to effectively cope with adverse or costly
life events and recover from the consequences of such events
while maintaining an adequate standard of living.
"Intergenerational poverty." Poverty in which two or more
successive generations of a family continue in the cycle of
poverty and government dependence. The term shall not include
situational poverty.
"Outcome." A change in the economic status, economic
instability or economic security of an individual, household or
other population that is attributable to a planned intervention,
benefit, service or series of interventions, benefits and
services, regardless of whether the intervention, benefit or
service was intended to change the economic status, economic
stability or economic security.
"Poverty." An economic condition in which an individual or
family has a total annual income that is less than the Federal
poverty level for the individual or family, as provided in the
report of the United States Census Bureau on Income, Poverty and
Health Insurance Coverage in the United States.
"Regional cost of living." A measure of the costs of
maintaining an adequate standard of living in differing
regional, geographic, urban or rural regions of this
Commonwealth.
"Situational poverty." Temporary poverty that meets all of
the following:
(1) Is generally traceable to a specific incident or
time period within the lifetime of an individual.
(2) Is not continued to the next generation.
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"Strategic plan." The plan provided for under section 502.
"System." The Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System
established under section 301(a).
"Two-generation approach." An approach to breaking the cycle
of intergenerational poverty by improving family economic
security through programs that create opportunities for and
address the needs of parents and children together.
"Workgroup." The Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and
Economic Insecurity established under section 302.
CHAPTER 3
INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY
Section 301. Intergenerational poverty tracking system.
(a) Establishment.--The department shall establish and
maintain a data system to track intergenerational poverty.
(b) System requirements.--The system shall have the ability
to do all of the following:
(1) Identify groups that have a high risk of
experiencing intergenerational poverty.
(2) Identify incidents, patterns and trends that explain
or contribute to intergenerational poverty.
(3) Gather and track available local, State and national
data on all of the following:
(i) Official poverty rates.
(ii) Child poverty rates.
(iii) Years spent by an individual in childhood
poverty.
(iv) Years spent by an individual in adult poverty.
(v) Related poverty information.
(c) Duties of department.--The department shall do all of
the following:
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(1) Use available data in the system, including public
assistance data, census data and other data made available to
the department, to track intergenerational poverty.
(2) Develop and implement methods to integrate, compare,
analyze and validate the data for the purposes described
under subsection (b).
(3) Protect the privacy of an individual living in
poverty by using and distributing data within the system in
compliance with Federal and State laws.
(4) Include in the report required under section 304, a
summary of the data, findings and potential additional uses
of the system.
Section 302. Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and Economic
Insecurity.
(a) Establishment.--The Interagency Workgroup on Poverty and
Economic Insecurity is established.
(b) Membership.--The workgroup shall be comprised of the
following members:
(1) The Secretary of Human Services, or a designee who
is a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the
department, who shall serve as chair.
(2) The Secretary of Labor and Industry, or a designee
who is a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the
Department of Labor and Industry.
(3) The Secretary of Education, or a designee who is a
deputy secretary or the equivalent within the Department of
Education.
(4) The Secretary of Health, or a designee who is a
deputy secretary or the equivalent within the Department of
Health.
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(5) The Secretary of Community and Economic Development,
or a designee who is a deputy secretary or the equivalent
within the Department of Community and Economic Development.
(6) The Secretary of Aging, or a designee who shall be a
deputy secretary or the equivalent within the Department of
Aging.
(7) The Secretary of Corrections, or a designee who
shall be a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the
Department of Corrections.
(8) The Secretary of Agriculture, or designee who shall
be a deputy secretary or the equivalent within the Department
of Agriculture.
(9) The Secretary of the Budget, or a designee.
(c) Meetings.--The workgroup shall meet no less than four
times a year.
Section 303. Powers and duties.
The workgroup shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To collaborate in sharing and analyzing information
and data for all of the following purposes:
(i) Understanding the root causes of poverty and
economic insecurity, including contributing social,
economic and cultural factors.
(ii) Understanding and addressing intergenerational
poverty by:
(A) Identifying children who are at risk of
continuing in the cycle of poverty absent
intervention.
(B) Identifying and developing effective and
efficient plans, programs and recommendations to help
at-risk children in this Commonwealth escape the
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cycle of poverty.
(C) Implementing data-driven policies and
programs, to the extent authorized by law, addressing
poverty, public assistance, education, economic
development, criminal justice and other areas as
needed to measurably reduce the incidence of children
in this Commonwealth who remain in poverty as they
become adults.
(D) Establishing and facilitating improved
cooperation, data sharing and policy coordination
among all persons, from Commonwealth agencies to case
workers, in rescuing children from intergenerational
poverty.
(E) Studying and measuring the effect of
intergenerational poverty on the ability of parents
and children to achieve economic stability, including
the effect on educational attainment, rates of
incarceration, lifetime earnings, access to
healthcare and access to housing.
(F) Studying, evaluating and reporting on the
status and effectiveness of policies, procedures and
programs that provide services to children in this
Commonwealth affected by intergenerational poverty.
(G) Studying and evaluating the policies,
procedures and programs implemented by other states
and nongovernmental entities that address the needs
of children affected by intergenerational poverty.
(H) Identifying Commonwealth policies,
procedures and programs or Federal requirements that
are impeding efforts to help children in this
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Commonwealth affected by intergenerational poverty
escape the cycle of poverty.
(I) Developing and implementing programs and
policies that use the two-generation approach.
(iii) Studying and measuring the effect that poverty
and economic insecurity have on all of the following:
(A) Worker productivity and economic output.
(B) The health and welfare of children,
including access to health care, housing, proper
nutrition and quality education.
(iv) Identifying Commonwealth programs, including
those related to economic development, job creation, job
training, the environment, disaster relief, hazard
mitigation, extreme weather and climate change, in need
of reform to better target resources to low-income,
minority, rural, urban and other populations or
geographic areas suffering from economic insecurity and
disparate rates of poverty.
(v) Measuring the fiscal impact on the Commonwealth
from successfully transitioning individuals and families
from poverty to long-term economic stability. Fiscal
impact measurements may include all of the following:
(A) Reductions in long-term costs of social
safety net programs.
(B) Reductions in long-term health care costs by
improving health of households formerly facing
economic insecurity or poverty.
(C) Increases in State and local revenues
attributable to new taxpaying individuals as a result
of increased employment and disposable income.
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(D) Reductions in enrollment and costs in need-
based benefits and services programs.
(E) Improvements to the overall economy of this
Commonwealth and reduced financial pressures on the
State and local governments.
(2) To establish an ongoing system of data sharing,
policy coordination and communication among and within
Commonwealth agencies, local agencies and other organizations
related to programs aimed at improving economic security and
eliminating poverty.
(3) To identify knowledge gaps, research needs and
policy and program deficiencies associated with economic
insecurity and poverty.
(4) To assist the commission in the development of the
strategic plan, including sharing data and information
identified under paragraphs (1) and (3) and analyses of that
data and information.
(5) To implement the strategic plan adopted by the
commission, including all of the following:
(i) Coordinating implementation of the strategic
plan.
(ii) Advising and assisting relevant agencies in the
implementation of the strategic plan.
(iii) Advising relevant agencies on specific
programmatic and policy matters related to the strategic
plan.
(iv) Providing relevant subject matter expertise to
each agency for purposes of implementing the strategic
plan.
(v) Identifying and addressing issues that may
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influence the future of the strategic plan.
Section 304. Report.
(a) Report.--No later than September 1 of each year, the
workgroup shall issue a report that includes the following:
(1) A summary of actions taken and outcomes obtained by
the workgroup in fulfilling its duties under section 303.
(2) Progress made on reducing poverty and economic
insecurity in this Commonwealth, including policies or
procedures implemented to reduce or eliminate the cycle of
poverty and intergenerational poverty as a result of the data
collected by the workgroup.
(3) Relevant data assessing the scope and depth of
intergenerational poverty in this Commonwealth.
(4) A 20-year history of poverty rates in this
Commonwealth with focus on any reduction or increase in the
rates during the previous 10 years and since the inception of
the workgroup.
(5) Any recommendations for legislative or regulatory
action to adopt or repeal laws, policies or procedures to
further the goal of eliminating poverty and economic
insecurity in this Commonwealth.
(b) Distribution.--The workgroup shall distribute the report
created under subsection (a) as follows:
(1) To the Governor.
(2) To each member of the General Assembly.
(3) By prominently posting the report on each
Commonwealth department's and agency's publicly accessible
Internet website.
CHAPTER 5
POVERTY ELIMINATION AND
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ECONOMIC SECURITY STRATEGIC PLANNING
Section 501. The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination
and Economic Security.
(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty
Elimination and Economic Security is established.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the commission is to:
(1) Inform the public policy making process by:
(i) Improving policymakers' understanding of the
root causes of poverty and economic insecurity, including
contributing social, economic and cultural factors and
the reasons that poverty and economic insecurity persist
in this Commonwealth.
(ii) Expanding policymakers' understanding of
poverty by distinguishing a standard that measures a
level of freedom from deprivation from a standard that
measures economic security provided by a living wage and
access to a livable standard of living.
(iii) Educating policymakers on the impact poverty
has on other measures of economic stability and economic
outcomes, including educational attainment, rates of
incarceration, lifetime earnings, access to health care,
health care outcomes and access to housing.
(2) Support governmental efforts to ensure that
residents of this Commonwealth have equal opportunity to
achieve economic security.
(3) Reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in this
Commonwealth by making policy and other recommendations to
the legislative, executive and judicial branches of this
Commonwealth.
(c) Membership.--The commission shall consist of the
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following members:
(1) Four members of the General Assembly, one each
appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, the
Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives.
(2) A member of the judiciary or a designee who shall be
appointed by the Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court.
(3) Twenty members of the public appointed under
subsection (d) representing stakeholders as follows:
(i) Two representatives, one of whom shall represent
an organization that focuses on rural poverty and one of
whom shall represent an organization that focuses on
urban and suburban poverty.
(ii) Two individuals who have experienced deep
poverty.
(iii) One representative of an organization that
advocates for health care access, affordability and
availability.
(iv) One representative of an organization that
advocates for individuals with mental illness.
(v) One representative of an organization that
advocates for children and youth.
(vi) One representative of an organization that
advocates for equity and equality in education.
(vii) One representative of an organization that
advocates for individuals who are homeless.
(viii) One representative of a Statewide antihunger
organization.
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(ix) One representative of an organization that
advocates for military veterans.
(x) One representative of an organization that
advocates for individuals with disabilities.
(xi) One representative of an organization that
advocates for immigrants.
(xii) One representative of a Statewide faith-based
organization that provides direct social services in this
Commonwealth.
(xiii) One representative of an organization that
advocates for economic security for women.
(xiv) One representative of an organization that
advocates for older adults.
(xv) One representative of a labor organization that
represents primarily low-wage and middle-wage earners.
(xvi) One representative of school districts in this
Commonwealth.
(xvii) One representative of county governments in
this Commonwealth.
(xviii) One representative of municipal corporation
governments in this Commonwealth.
(4) The members of the workgroup shall serve as
nonvoting ex officio members of the commission.
(d) Appointment.--The following shall apply:
(1) The public members of the commission under
subsection (c)(3) shall be appointed as follows:
(i) Four shall be appointed by the Governor.
(ii) Four shall be appointed by the President pro
tempore of the Senate.
(iii) Four shall be appointed by the Minority Leader
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of the Senate.
(iv) Four shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
(v) Four shall be appointed by the Minority Leader
of the House of Representatives.
(2) It shall be determined by lot which appointing
authority appoints which public members to the commission.
(3) The appointed members shall reflect the racial,
gender and geographic diversity of this Commonwealth and
shall include representation from regions of this
Commonwealth experiencing economic insecurity and the highest
rates of deep poverty.
(4) Public members of the commission shall be selected
for service on the commission within 45 days of the effective
date of this section.
(e) Qualifications.--Each member of the commission must have
been a resident of this Commonwealth for a period of at least
one year immediately preceding appointment and must continue
residence in this Commonwealth during the member's tenure of
service on the commission.
(f) Organizational meeting.--The organizational meeting of
the commission shall take place after all members are appointed
but no later than 60 days after the effective date of this
section.
(g) Compensation.--Members shall serve without compensation,
but public members may be reimbursed for reasonable and
necessary travel expenses connected to commission business.
(h) Commission chairperson.--The representatives of the
antipoverty organizations appointed under subsection (c)(3)(i)
shall serve as cochairs of the commission.
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(i) Committees.--The commission may establish subcommittees
to address specific issues or populations and may collaborate
with individuals with relevant expertise who are not members of
the commission to assist the subcommittee in carrying out its
duties.
(j) Meetings.--The full commission shall meet at least once
annually.
(k) Quorum.--A majority plus one of the voting members shall
constitute a quorum.
(l) Voting.--All actions of the commission and any
subcommittees established by the commission shall be approved by
majority vote of the commission or subcommittee as applicable.
(m) Open meetings.--The meetings of the commission shall be
conducted in accordance with the provisions of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7
(relating to open meetings).
(n) Administrative support.--The Department of Human
Services shall provide staff and administrative support to
assist the commission in carrying out it duties.
Section 502. Strategic plan to address poverty and economic
insecurity.
(a) Plan required.--No later than November 30, 2022, the
commission shall develop and adopt a strategic plan to address
poverty and economic insecurity in this Commonwealth.
(b) Goals.--The goals of the strategic plan shall be to:
(1) Ensure that Commonwealth programs and services
targeting poverty and economic insecurity reflect the goal of
helping individuals and families rise above poverty and
achieve long-term economic stability rather than simply
providing relief from deprivation.
(2) Eliminate disparate rates of poverty, deep poverty,
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child poverty and intergenerational poverty based on race,
ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation or identity,
English language proficiency, ability and geographic location
in a rural, urban or suburban area.
(3) Reduce deep poverty in this Commonwealth by 50% by
2028.
(4) Eliminate child poverty in this Commonwealth by
2033.
(5) Eliminate all poverty in this Commonwealth by 2038.
(c) Plan development.--In developing the strategic plan, the
commission shall:
(1) Collaborate with the workgroup, including sharing
data and information identified under section 303(a)(1) and
(3) and analyses of that data and information.
(2) Review each program and service provided by the
Commonwealth that targets poverty and economic insecurity for
purposes of:
(i) determining which programs and services are the
most effective and of the highest importance in reducing
poverty and economic insecurity in this Commonwealth; and
(ii) providing an analysis of unmet needs, if any,
among individuals, children and families in deep poverty
and intergenerational poverty for each program and
service identified under subparagraph (i).
(3) Study the feasibility of using public/private
partnerships and social impact bonds, to improve innovation
and cost-effectiveness in the development of programs and
delivery of services that advance the goals of the strategic
plan.
(4) Hold at least six public hearings in different
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geographic regions of this Commonwealth, including areas that
have disparate rates of poverty and that have historically
experienced economic insecurity, to collect information, take
testimony and solicit input and feedback from interested
parties, including members of the public who have personal
experiences with Commonwealth programs and services targeting
economic insecurity, poverty, deep poverty, child poverty and
intergenerational poverty and make the information publicly
available.
(5) Request and receive from a Commonwealth agency or
local government agency information relating to poverty in
this Commonwealth, including all of the following:
(i) Reports.
(ii) Audits.
(iii) Data.
(iv) Projections.
(v) Statistics.
(d) Subject areas.--The strategic plan shall address all of
the following:
(1) Access to safe and affordable housing.
(2) Access to adequate food and nutrition.
(3) Access to affordable and quality health care.
(4) Equal access to quality education and training.
(5) Equal access to affordable, quality post-secondary
education options.
(6) Dependable and affordable transportation.
(7) Access to quality and affordable child care.
(8) Opportunities to engage in meaningful and
sustainable work that pays a living wage and barriers to
those opportunities experienced by low-income individuals in
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poverty.
(9) Equal access to justice through a fair system of
criminal justice that does not, in effect, criminalize
poverty.
(10) Availability of adequate income supports.
(11) Retirement security.
(e) Plan content.--The strategic plan shall, at a minimum,
contain policy and fiscal recommendations relating to all of the
following:
(1) Developing fact-based measures to evaluate the long-
term effectiveness of existing and proposed programs and
services targeting poverty and economic insecurity.
(2) Increasing enrollment in programs and services
targeting poverty and economic insecurity by reducing the
complexity and difficulty of enrollment in order to maximize
program effectiveness and increase positive outcomes.
(3) Increasing the reach of programs and services
targeting poverty and economic insecurity by ensuring that
Commonwealth agencies have adequate resources to maximize the
public awareness of the programs and services, especially in
historically disenfranchised communities.
(4) Reducing the negative impacts of asset limits for
eligibility on the effectiveness of Commonwealth programs
targeting poverty and economic insecurity by ensuring that
eligibility limits do not:
(i) create gaps in necessary service and benefit
delivery or restrict access to benefits as individuals
and families attempt to transition off assistance
programs; or
(ii) prevent beneficiaries from improving long-term
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outcomes and achieving long-term economic independence
from the program.
(5) Improving the ability of community-based
organizations to participate in the development and
implementation of Commonwealth programs designed to address
economic insecurity and poverty.
(6) Improving the ability of individuals living in
poverty, low-income individuals and unemployed individuals to
access critical job training and skills upgrade programs and
find quality jobs that help children and families become
economically secure and rise above poverty.
(7) Improving communication and collaboration between
Commonwealth agencies and local governments on programs
targeting poverty and economic insecurity.
(8) Creating efficiencies in the administration and
coordination of programs and services targeting poverty and
economic insecurity.
(9) Connecting low-income children, disconnected youth
and families of those children and youth to education, job
training and jobs in the communities in which those children
and youth live.
(10) Ensuring that the Commonwealth's services and
benefits programs, emergency programs, discretionary economic
programs and other policies are sufficiently funded to enable
the Commonwealth to mount effective responses to economic
downturns and increases in economic insecurity and poverty
rates.
(11) Creating one or more Commonwealth poverty measures.
(12) Developing and implementing programs and policies
that use the two-generation approach.
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(13) Using public/private partnerships and social impact
bonds to improve innovation and cost-effectiveness in the
development of programs and delivery of services that advance
the goals of the strategic plan.
(14) Identifying best practices for collecting data
relevant to all of the following:
(i) Reducing economic insecurity and poverty.
(ii) Reducing the racial, ethnic, age, gender,
sexual orientation and sexual identity-based disparities
in the rates of economic insecurity and poverty.
(iii) Adequately measuring the effectiveness,
efficiency and impact of programs on the outcomes for
individuals, families and communities who receive
benefits and services.
(iv) Streamlining enrollment and eligibility for
programs.
(v) Improving long-term outcomes for individuals who
are enrolled in service and benefit programs.
(vi) Reducing reliance on public programs.
(vii) Improving connections to work.
(viii) Improving economic security.
(ix) Improving retirement security.
(x) Improving the Commonwealth's understanding of
the impact of extreme weather and natural disasters on
economically vulnerable communities and improving those
communities' resilience to and recovery from extreme
weather and natural disasters.
(xi) Improving access to living-wage employment.
(xii) Improving access to employment-based benefits.
(f) Other information.--In addition to the plan content
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required under subsection (e), the strategic plan shall contain
all of the following:
(1) A suggested timeline for the stages of
implementation of the recommendations in the plan.
(2) Short-term, intermediate-term and long-term
benchmarks to measure the Commonwealth's progress toward
meeting the goals of the strategic plan.
(3) A summary of the review and analysis conducted by
the commission under subsection (c)(1).
(g) Impact of recommendations.--For each recommendation in
the plan, the commission shall identify in measurable terms the
actual or potential impact the recommendation will have on
poverty and economic insecurity in this Commonwealth.
Section 503. Commission reports.
(a) Interim report.--No later than June 30, 2022, the
commission shall issue an interim report on the commission's
activities to the Governor and the General Assembly.
(b) Report on strategic plan.--Upon the commission's
adoption of the strategic plan, but no later than November 30,
2023, the commission shall issue a report containing a summary
of the commission's activities and the contents of the strategic
plan. The commission shall submit the report to the Governor and
each member of the General Assembly.
(c) Annual reports.--Beginning November 30, 2024, and each
year thereafter, the commission shall issue a report on the
status of the implementation of the commission's strategic plan.
The report may contain any other recommendations of the
commission to address poverty and economic insecurity in this
Commonwealth.
Section 504. Duties of the Secretary of the Budget.
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The Secretary of the Budget shall include in the materials
submitted to the General Assembly outlining the Governor's
proposed annual budget a description of any budget proposals or
other activities, ongoing projects and plans of the executive
branch designed to meet the goals and objectives of the
strategic plan. The information shall include the following:
(1) An accounting of the savings to the Commonwealth
from any increased efficiencies in the delivery of services.
(2) Any savings realized from reducing the number of
individuals living in poverty and reducing the demand for
need-based services and benefits.
(3) A projection of any increase in revenue collections
due to any increase in the number of individuals who become
employed and pay taxes into the State Treasury.
(4) Any other information related to the proposed annual
budget the Secretary of the Budget believes furthers the
goals and objectives of the strategic plan.
CHAPTER 7
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 701. (Reserved).
Section 702. (Reserved).
Section 703. Effective date.
This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.
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