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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2622 PRINTER'S NO. 2874
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2047
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY RABB, SANCHEZ, WAXMAN, KHAN, RIVERA, FREEMAN,
K.HARRIS, SMITH-WADE-EL AND WARREN, NOVEMBER 18, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
AN ACT
Establishing the Local News Fellowship Program; imposing duties
on an administering institution; and providing for
administration of the Local News Fellowship Program.
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 Local News
Fellowship Program 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:
"Administering institution." An institution designated by
the Governor within the State System of Higher Education that is
reasonably qualified to administer the program or the State
Library of Pennsylvania.
"Civic information needs." The information resources,
including local journalism and communication infrastructure,
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needed by a community for civic engagement and participation.
"Community-based newsroom." A nonprofit or independent media
organization that meets all of the following criteria:
(1) Maintains its principal place of business within
this Commonwealth.
(2) Primarily serves a local or regional audience.
(3) Produces original reporting that advances civic
engagement, public accountability or community-informed
journalism.
"Fellow." An early-career journalist who is selected to
participate in the program under section 4(a).
"Host newsroom." A community-based newsroom that applies for
and receives approval from the administering institution to host
a fellow under the program.
"Program." The Local News Fellowship Program established
under section 3(a).
Section 3. Establishment of program.
(a) Establishment.--The Local News Fellowship Program is
established within the administering institution to expand
access to high-quality local journalism, support the development
of early-career and mid-career journalists and strengthen the
capacity of community-based newsrooms throughout this
Commonwealth SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF MONEY APPROPRIATED
FOR THIS PURPOSE. Within 90 days of the effective date of this
subsection, the Governor shall designate the administering
institution and transmit notice of the designation to the
Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(b) Program components.--The TO THE EXTENT MONEY IS
AVAILABLE, THE program shall include the following core
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components:
(1) The administering institution shall assign fellows
to host newsrooms in accordance with the selection process
under section 4.
(2) Fellows shall receive fair compensation, mentorship
and access to training opportunities to enhance their
journalistic skills and community engagement.
(3) Priority shall be given to placements that serve
communities with significant civic information needs,
including rural areas, communities of color and immigrant
populations.
(4) The program shall encourage fellows to build lasting
ties to the host newsroom and the community served.
Section 4. Selection and placement of fellows.
(a) Selection of fellows.--The administering institution
shall establish a competitive selection process for fellows,
which may include criteria such as academic or professional
background, demonstrated commitment to public-interest
journalism and alignment with the goals of the program.
(b) Approval of host newsrooms.--The administering
institution shall develop and post criteria for the designation
of host newsrooms on the administering institution's publicly
accessible Internet website. The criteria shall include all of
the following:
(1) The newsroom's capacity to provide editorial
oversight, mentorship and professional development.
(2) The newsroom's alignment with the goals of the
program.
(3) The demonstrated civic information needs of the
community served.
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(c) Placement guidelines.--In making fellowship placements,
the administering institution shall seek geographic and
demographic diversity and shall prioritize underserved
communities with limited access to original local news and civic
information needs.
Section 5. Administration of program.
(a) Administration.--The administering institution shall
administer the program ONLY TO THE EXTENT MONEY IS AVAILABLE and
may partner or contract with a nonprofit organization that has
experience in journalism education, civic media or public-
interest reporting to implement all or part of the program.
(b) Duties.--The administering institution or a nonprofit
organization engaged under subsection (a) shall have the
following duties:
(1) Manage outreach and application processes for
fellows and host newsrooms.
(2) Coordinate fellow placement and provide or
facilitate training, mentorship and cohort-building
activities.
(3) Monitor the performance of fellows and host
newsrooms throughout the duration of the fellowship.
(c) Reporting requirements.--
(1) The administering institution shall prepare an
annual report evaluating the implementation and outcomes of
the program. The report shall include all of the following
information:
(i) The number of fellows placed and the names and
locations of approved host newsrooms.
(ii) A summary of training, mentorship and community
engagement activities.
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(iii) An assessment of the program's impact on
access to civic information needs in participating
communities.
(iv) Fellow retention and post-fellowship employment
outcomes in this Commonwealth.
(v) Demographic representation of the applicant
pool, selected fellows and host newsrooms, reported in
aggregate form.
(vi) A description of methods used to measure the
program's impact on civic information needs and the
results of those measures.
(vii) A summary of public feedback received under
paragraph (3) and the administering institution's
response, including any program changes adopted.
(viii) Any recommendations for improvement or
expansion of the program.
(2) The administering institution shall submit the
annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly and
post the report on its publicly accessible Internet website.
(3) The administering institution shall maintain a
publicly accessible mechanism to receive comments from
fellows, host newsrooms and members of the public regarding
the program and shall solicit comments not less than annually
for inclusion in the report under paragraph (1).
Section 6. Editorial independence.
(a) Noninterference.--Each fellow and host newsroom shall
retain sole editorial control over content, assignments and
publication decisions. Neither the administering institution,
the Commonwealth nor any officer or employee thereof may direct,
control or otherwise influence the editorial decision making of
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fellows or host newsrooms.
(b) Viewpoint neutrality.--Program funds or participation
may not be conditioned on the viewpoint, content or subject of
reporting.
(c) Administrative decisions.--Nothing in this section shall
be construed to limit administrative decisions on eligibility,
placement or funding that are made under neutral program
criteria.
SECTION 7. ADMINISTRATION.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY APPROPRIATE FUNDING AS IT DEEMS
NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT.
Section 7 8. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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