Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23rd Dist.) introduced a bill this week that would ban discrimination against LGBT people in the state.
HB 300 would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations, housing and employment. Fourteen municipalities across the state, including Philadelphia, currently employ such laws, but nearly 75 percent of the state’s residents are not covered under this legislation.
This is the fourth time that an LGBT nondiscrimination bill has been introduced in the state House.
Frankel introduced the bill March 4 and it was referred to the House State Government Committee.
“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.”
The legislation was introduced with 79 cosponsors, the highest level of support a pro-LGBT bill has ever been introduced with.
Andy Hoover, legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, noted that his agency is “very encouraged by the record number of legislators who have signed on as cosponsors of this bill and think it is a good sign for future progress.”
Frankel introduced the same legislation, HB 1400, in June 2007 with 70 cosponsors, and it eventually garnered 79 cosponsors over the 15 months it was in consideration in the House.
The House State Government Committee held a series of public hearings on HB 1400, and Jake Kaskey, policy and outreach coordinator at Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, said individuals across the state have expressed support for extending the state’s nondiscrimination bill to the LGBT community.
“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,” Kaskey said. “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.”
HB 1400 died in committee in September after the committee chair, Rep. Babette Josephs (D-182nd Dist.), a strong proponent of the bill, chose not to proceed with a vote because she was unsure if legislators who’d pledged to support the bill would actually follow through.
Josephs noted that the bill will need at least 102 favorable votes — a majority of the total 203 representatives — to pass the House, but called the number of cosponsors “encouraging.” Josephs estimated that as many as 35 legislators were hesitant to sign on as cosponsors, but said they would vote for it when the time came.
She noted that the passage of HB 300 is going to require bipartisan support from lawmakers throughout the state, which she said can be fueled by community involvement.
“What needs to be done now is the community has to get active. The Democrats in Philadelphia are on board, as are many of the Democrats throughout the state, but very few Republicans are, and there is no reason why Republicans should be anti-civil rights,” Josephs said. “People who are Republicans or who have Republican state representatives ought to be opening their mouths and shouting loud about this. I’m definitely looking forward to victory in the House, but it won’t be achieved without help.”
Steve Glassman, chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, said advocates have worked to expand support for the bill among lawmakers, whom he is confident will pass the legislation this year.
“We believe we have established strong relationships with enough legislators to pass the bill this year in the House, and we’re hopeful that we can move it quickly to the Senate for their confirmation as well,” Glassman said. “We have been working with Dan Frankel and the leadership to establish a broad base of support for equality legislation.”
The Value All Families Coalition, which works to advance LGBT rights in Pennsylvania, is sponsoring “Rock the Dome: Pennsylvania Equality Lobby Day and Rally” March 17 in Harrisburg for LGBT and ally individuals to speak out in support of HB 300.
A free lunch will be available prior to the 1 p.m. rally in the Rotunda, which will be followed by meetings with state legislators. All participants will be trained on how to effectively lobby for the legislation before heading into the State House.
Buses will leave from both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh that morning and return later that evening. Seats on the bus are first-come, first-served and can be reserved by contacting Kaskey at [email protected].
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].