Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Two bills supporting local journalism approved in committee

Two bills supporting local journalism approved in committee

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    February 4, 2026 | 1:51 PM

HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – The Pennsylvania House Communications and Technology Committee today advanced two bills aimed at supporting the development of local journalism across the commonwealth.

“For the past 20 years, we’ve seen a troubling decline in the number of local newspapers and reporters covering important community issues,” said state Rep. Joseph Ciresi, D-Montgomery.

“Thousands of newspapers have closed, and the number of newsroom employees has dropped by more than half. Local journalism in Pennsylvania needs support. The first weeks of 2026 underscore the urgency: the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced it will shut down, the Clinton County Record ceased publication, and the LNP Media Group in Lancaster, along with Lehigh Valley Public Media, announced significant layoffs.

“The decline in local news reporting is having a devastating impact on our democracy,” Ciresi added. “If residents don’t know what’s happening in their towns and cities, how can they understand what issues need attention or hold leaders accountable? An informed electorate is the foundation of an engaged one.”

Ciresi noted that the proposed bills aim to reduce news deserts by placing journalists in communities where they are needed most, preserving a strong local media environment across Pennsylvania.

Introduced by state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., the legislative package addresses the growing shortage of community-based news sources in the state.

House Bill 2047 would establish a state fellowship program for journalists in local news that would aim to replace local reporters that have left the industry or gone into early retirement.

The legislation is modeled on successful programs in California, Washington and New Mexico.   

House Bill 2048 would establish the Pennsylvania Civic Information Consortium to support civic information and local journalism initiatives. The consortium could enter into an agreement with the State Library System, an institution within the State System of Higher Education, or another public institution to provide administrative services.

The legislation was inspired by the success of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium.

“When local news disappears, communities lose transparency, accountability and a shared set of facts,” said Rabb. “These bills move us closer to treating civic information as the public good it is, by supporting the independent, nonpartisan journalism that functioning democracies rely on.”