An Act establishing the Pennsylvania Poet Laureate and the Pennsylvania Poet Laureate Nomination Committee; and providing for their powers and duties.

PRINTER'S NO. 1135
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1046
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, JAMES, HILL-EVANS, SAMUELSON, KHAN,
WEBSTER, VENKAT, HOWARD, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, BRENNAN, STEELE,
CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SCHLOSSBERG, HADDOCK, CIRESI, KENYATTA,
GUENST AND SHUSTERMAN, MARCH 25, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 25, 2025
AN ACT
Establishing the Pennsylvania Poet Laureate and the Pennsylvania
Poet Laureate Nomination Committee; and providing for their
powers and duties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
Poet Laureate Act.
Section 2. 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:
"Committee." The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate Nomination
Committee established by this act.
"Poet laureate." The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate established
by this act.
Section 3. Pennsylvania Poet Laureate.
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(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate is
established.
(b) Appointment.--The poet laureate shall be appointed by
the Governor from a list of individuals nominated by the
committee as provided in section 4.
(c) Term.--The poet laureate shall serve for a term of two
years.
(d) Duties.--The poet laureate shall:
(1) Give an official reading of a poem at the
inauguration of the Governor.
(2) Give an official reading of a poem at the biannual
opening of the legislative session upon request of the
President pro tempore of the Senate or Speaker of the House
of Representatives.
(3) Serve at official commemorations upon request of the
Governor.
(e) Reimbursement of expenses.--The poet laureate shall
serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary
travel and other expenses incurred in the performance of
official duties.
Section 4. Pennsylvania Poet Laureate Nomination Committee.
(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Poet Laureate
Nomination Committee is established.
(b) Membership.--The committee shall include the following:
(1) The Secretary of Education or a designee.
(2) The chair of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Council on the Arts or a designee.
(3) The State Librarian of the State Library of
Pennsylvania or a designee.
(4) A representative from a nonprofit organization whose
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mission is to promote poetry or the humanities and is located
in this Commonwealth, appointed by the Governor.
(5) A representative from a college or university
department of English located in this Commonwealth, appointed
by the Governor.
(c) Duties.--The committee shall:
(1) Determine the qualifications of nominees for the
poet laureate.
(2) Solicit nominations and provide the Governor with a
list consisting of no more than three nominees.
(d) Reimbursement of expenses.--The members of the committee
shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for
necessary travel and other expenses incurred in the performance
of their official duties.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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