Stop Legal Discrimination in Pennsylvania

The bad news:

There is no Pennsylvania law preventing discrimination in employment, housing or accommodations because of a person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. If you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered, you can be fired from your job, refused service, or denied housing without any recourse under PA law.

The good news:

Pennsylvania took the first step on March 11 toward making that discrimination illegal.

HB 300, legislation prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations passed the State Government Committee in the PA House of Representatives today.   Current Pennsylvania law provides basic legal protection against discrimination on the bases of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, handicap or disability, education and the use of a guide dog.   HB 300 offers the same anti-discrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people that are offered to other Pennsylvanians.

The work before us:

Governor Rendell has promised to sign anti-discrimination legislation if it reaches his desk, and a majority of the Senate and House will vote to pass it.  We just need to get Leadership to schedule a vote.

That's where you come in.  Take a moment to sign our e-petition to House and Senate Leadership asking them to schedule votes on this vital legislation as soon as possible.

Fill out this form to send this message to the Leadership in the Senate and House of Representatives:

Senate President Scarnati and Speaker of the House McCall:

Please schedule a floor vote on HB 300 as soon as possible.  It is time to end legal discrimination in Pennsylvania.  

More Information:

Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny County) introduced the bill, House Bill 300, which would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression" as protected classes, with a record 79 co-sponsors from both parties and from across the commonwealth.  It passed the State Government Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives on March 11, 2009.

"This legislation is critical to thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians who are trying to work and have a roof over their heads, and it enjoys substantial support from Pennsylvanians from every corner of the Commonwealth," said Jake Kaskey, policy and outreach coordinator of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania.

"At a time when more and more people across the state find themselves unemployed, we need to make sure every Pennsylvanian who wants to work has a fair chance at work," Kaskey added.

"It's time for us in the legislature to take a stand against this kind of discrimination," Frankel said. "The passage of House Bill 300 would bring our state in line with several of our neighbors who already offer these basic protections to their citizens, and it would establish Pennsylvania as a just , fair and competitive place to live and work."

In the last legislative session, House State Government Committee Chairperson Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia) held public committee hearings on similar legislation in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Erie.

"We are very encouraged by the record number of legislators who have signed on as co-sponsors of this bill and we think it is a good sign for future progress," added Andy Hoover, legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.

Current Pennsylvania law provides basic legal protection against discrimination on the bases of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, handicap or disability, education and the use of a guide dog. Thirteen Pennsylvania municipalities have already enacted civil rights laws including protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. These municipalities are Allentown, Easton, Erie County, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lansdowne, New Hope, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Swarthmore, West Chester and York. State College also has an ordinance that only covers sexual orientation discrimination in housing and employment. Nearly eighty percent of the state's twelve million residents live or work in communities that do not provide these protections. Twenty states in the country have similar laws, including our neighboring states of New Jersey, Maryland and New York.

The Value All Families Coalition is comprised of diverse statewide, regional, and local organizations that support equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians. Equality Advocates of Pennsylvania (www.equalitypa.org)and Keystone Progress (www.keystoneprogress.org) are members of VAFC.