STATE SENATE
FOURTH DISTRICT
Leanna Washington
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Relation-ship recognition: Co-sponsored a marriage-equality bill Hate crimes: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Co-sponsored anti-conversion-therapy bill; introduced an LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Member of LGBT Equality Caucus
Brian Gralnick*
Nondiscrimination: Would cosponsor LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill; would work with public, lobbyists and lawmakers to raise awareness; “In my experience, many people are simply unaware that sexual orientation and gender identity are not already protected classes. By informing the populace, we can hopefully increase pressure on the moderate Republicans in the Senate.” Relationship recognition: Would cosponsor marriage-equality bill; strongly and unapologetically” supports marriage equality Hate crimes: Would cosponsor LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill; “I would do my best to make sure people know LGBT rights do not begin and end with marriage equality; crimes motivated by bigotry actually cost lives.” Youth: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill; “Even when it does not end in violent death or suicide, as we have seen with too many youth, the damage done by bullying is well-documented.” Advocacy: Would join LGBT Equality Caucus “gladly” “I believe myself to be in touch with the needs of the LGBT community. I cannot think of a single legislative matter where I would not side with the community. I will openly and unapologetically provide support on all of the issues above, and others such as adoption, LGBT homeless youth and access to health care.”
STATE HOUSE
172ND DISTRICT
Kevin Boyle*
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Relations-hip recognition: Co-sponsored marriage-equality bill Hate crimes: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Co-sponsored anti-conversion-therapy bill; cosponsored LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Original member of LGBT Equality Caucus
Jeffrey Voice
Nondiscrimination: Would cosponsor LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill; “I oppose discrimination in any form related to sexual orientation.” Relationship recognition: Would cosponsor marriage-equality bill; would vote against any bill that would “marginalize the dignity and legality of same-sex marriages based on sexual orientation” Hate crimes: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill; “Hate crime is inexcusable against any group, minority or majority. Whether it is based on race, religion or sexual orientation, hate crimes are among the most heinous criminal activities in our society.” Youth: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill; “As an adoptive parent of a mixed-race child and a victim of bullying as a child, I am very close to this issue.” Advocacy: Would join LGBT Equality Caucus. “I support humanity and the right to choose, or express biologically determined, sexual preference without fear of prejudice, discrimination or bias. As a military officer, I am proud that our nation’s fighting force has gotten out front of this issue and set an example for our nation. I have always said ‘I don’t care if you are straight, I only care if you shoot straight.’ I hope I can count on your support on May 20.”
175TH DISTRICT
Mike O’Brien*
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill every year since inception; “I was the vice chair of the State Government Committee the only time it was reported to the floor and will continue to be an advocate.” Relationship recognition: Co-sponsored marriage-equality bill; would continue to be a “loud voice” against efforts to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage and against “Daryl Metcalfe’s lunacy in the State Government Committee, on which I sit.” Hate crimes: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Co-sponsored anti-conversion-therapy bill; co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill; introduced state’s first anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Original member of the LGBT Equality Caucus “I have been an outfront friend of the community. Aside from being a co-sponsor of HB 300, as well as all measures to ensure equality for the LGBT community, I took the point for funding the John C. Anderson Apartments, which resulted in a $6-million grant, the largest grant ever for the LGBT community.”
Sean Sullivan
Nondiscrimination: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill; “It is disgraceful that Pennsylvania does not ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.” Relationship recognition: Would co-sponsor marriage-equality bill; would vote against a constitutionial amendment to efforts to ban marriage equality Hate crimes: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill; “Hate crimes inflict distinct emotional harms not just on direct victims, but make indirect victims out of entire communities.” Youth: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill; “Anti-bullying laws that do not specifically mention sexual orientation and gender identity run the significant risk of being interpreted to exclude LGBT students.” Advocacy: Would join LGBT Equality Caucus “I will be a strong and forceful advocate for issues that are important to the LGBT community. In addition, I will be a hard-working, active and accessible legislator, who is committed to making our communities better places to live. I intend to listen regularly to my constituents, which is why I have promised to hold regular town-hall meetings in every neighborhood of the district. I intend to help drive the legislative agenda in Harrisburg, not just be a cog in a machine.”
179TH DISTRICT
James Clay*
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill; “I have always stood for equal rights for all, and this is an issue as inclusive for me to be a champion of as much as the issues of racial discrimination.” Relationship recognition: Co-sponsored marriage-equality bill; “I believe the decision made between two adults is the issue/business of those individuals.” Hate crimes: Not a co-sponsor of LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill but would be “very open” to signing on Youth: Co-sponsored anti-conversion-therapy bill; would cosponsor LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Member of LGBT Equality Caucus “The issues I am currently involved with for my constituents have no boundaries in regards to who receives assistance. As I continue to engage all in my district, I intend to continue my stance on assistance to all regardless of race, creed or sexual orientation.”
188TH DISTRICT
James Roebuck*
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Relationship recognition: Co-sponsored marriage-equality bill Hate crimes: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Original member of LGBT Equality Caucus “I have been a consistent, strong supporter of the LGBT community, and I will continue to work to achieve the goals of this community.”
190TH DISTRICT
Vanessa Lowery Brown*
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Relationship recognition: Co-sponsored marriage-equality bill Hate crimes: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Co-sponsored anti-conversion-therapy bill; co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Original member of LGBT Equality Caucus
Isaac Patterson
Nondiscrimination: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Relationship recognition: Would co-sponsor marriage-equality bill; “We should spend more time focusing on the strength of our own relationships and be a shining example of a committed relationship before we begin to criticize others.” Hate crimes: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Youth: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Would join LGBT Equality Caucus “I enjoy the Native-American view: Some people are born with two spirits. I am very persuasive and can be of assistance when getting uniformed or closed-minded lawmakers to engage, maybe not in acceptance, but help them identify when something is the right thing to do.”
194TH DISTRICT
Pamela DeLissio*
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Relationship recognition: Co-sponsored civil-unions bill Hate crimes: Not a co-sponsor of LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Original member of LGBT Equality Caucus
David Henderson
Nondiscrimination: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill; “I would reach across the aisle to convince my Republican counterparts that equality is an everyone issue and simply makes sense.” Relationship recognition: Would co-sponsor marriage-equality bill; “I was in the service when they repealed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ And what happened when they repealed the policy? Absolutely nothing. Marriage equality, I feel, is being built up into this huge issue across American the very same way.” Hate crimes: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Would co-sponsor LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Would join LGBT Equality Caucus “LGBT issues need and deserve someone to fight for them in their corner, not just when it’s politically convenient. I would work with Brian Sims and the LGBT Equality Caucus to make this happen.”
202ND DISTRICT
Mark Cohen*
Nondiscrimination: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination bill Relationship recognition: Introduced the state’s first civil union bill; co-sponsored marriage-equality bill Hate crimes: Co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill Youth: Co-sponsored anti-conversion-therapy bill; co-sponsored LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying bill Advocacy: Original member of LGBT Equality Caucus