HARRISBURG – By a unanimous vote Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Senate passed legislation sponsored by House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) that would divest the Commonwealth from Russian and Belarusian financial assets and prohibit future investment of Commonwealth funds in financial assets of those countries.
The bill now heads to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk where it awaits his signature for enactment.
“As Russia’s unprovoked aggression against the people and government of Ukraine continues to amplify, divesting Commonwealth investments from Russian and Belarusian financial assets is an even more poignant message that Pennsylvania is against this unnecessary and illegal conflict,” Benninghoff said.
“With the unanimous support of both chambers of the General Assembly on this legislation, Pennsylvania is continuing to speak with one voice against this ongoing conflict and is joining with the rest of the free world in taking steps that substantively marginalize Vladimir Putin and his domestic and geopolitical allies.”
The legislation, House Bill 2447, was introduced in March and passed the House unanimously in Apri.