Past State Legislation

Since 1976, 24 nondiscrimination bill have been introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The first piece of legislation was introduced by a Philadelphia Democrat with two cosponsors. The past lead nondiscrimination bill, HB 300, was last introduced by Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23) of Pittsburgh in 2011 with 63 cosponsors.

Only once has an inclusive nondiscrimination bill been advanced in a legislative committee. In 2010, HB 300 was voted out of the House State Government Committee under Chairwoman Rep. Babette Josephs (D-188). The bill never received a floor vote in the House of Representatives.

Twelve of the 24 bills were introduced or co-introduced by Republican legislators, with the others being introduced by Democrats. Eleven bills were introduced in the State Senate – with 13 being introduced in the House of Representatives. 15 bills address nondiscrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations – with the other pieces of legislation dealing with compartmentalized areas of discrimination (such as prohibiting discrimination in elder care, public libraries).

Every nondiscrimination bill introduced since 2006 has been inclusive of both sexual orientation and gender identity.


The 1970s

Regular Session 1975-1976
House Bill 2220
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 3/23/1976 | Cosponsors: 2
Rep. Norman Berson (D-187, Berks and Lehigh)

The 1990s

Regular Session 1997-1998
House Resolution 20
Proposed House Ethics Rules Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation
Introduced: 1/27/1997 | Cosponsors: 27
Rep. W. Curtis Thomas (D-181, Philadelphia)
Regular Session 1999-2000
House Bill 2700
An Act Related to Assisted Living; Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Assisted and Long-term Care Facilities
Introduced: 8/2/2000 | Cosponsors: 95
Rep. Michael O’Brien (D-173, Philadelphia)

 


The 2000s

Regular Session 2001-2002
House Bill 1887
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 8/20/2001 | Cosponsors: 19
Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23, Allegheny)
Regular Session 2003-2004
Senate Bill 136
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Public Libraries
Introduced: 3/2/2003 | Cosponsors: 17
Sen. Harold Mowery (R-31, Cumberland and York)
Regular Session 2003-2004
Senate Bill 568
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Elder Care
Introduced: 4/4/2003 | Cosponsors: 6
Sen. Allyson Schwartz (D-4, Montgomery and Philadelphia)
Regular Session 2003-2004
Senate Bill 608
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 4/24/2003 | Cosponsors: 4
Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-7, Montgomery and Philadelphia)
Regular Session 2003-2004
Senate Bill 609
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Public Education
Introduced: 4/24/2003 | Cosponsors: 4
Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-7, Montgomery and Philadelphia)
Regular Session 2003-2004
Senate Bill 706
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 6/17/2003 | Cosponsors: 17
Sen. Joe Conti (R-10, Bucks and Montgomery)
Regular Session 2003-2004
Senate Bill 707
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Public Education
Introduced: 6/17/2003 | Cosponsors: 18
Sen. Joe Conti (R-10, Bucks and Montgomery)
Regular Session 2003-2004
House Bill 1496
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Public Libraries
Introduced: 6/24/2003 | Cosponsors: 46
Rep. Thomas Stevenson (R-42, Allegheny)
Regular Session 2003-2004
House Bill 1850
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 10/27/2003 | Cosponsors: 50
Rep. Roy Cornell (R-152, Montgomery and Philadelphia)
Regular Session 2003-2004
House Bill 1851
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Public Education
Introduced: 10/27/2003 | Cosponsors: 50
Rep. Roy Cornell (R-152, Montgomery and Philadelphia)
Regular Session 2005-2006
House Bill 511
Foster Care Reform; Prohibit Discrimination Against Children Based on Sexual Orientation
Introduced: 2/14/2005 | Cosponsors: 26
Rep. Phyllis Mundy (D-120, Luzerne)
Regular Session 2005-2006
House Bill 3000
Nondiscrimination on Sexual Orientation in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 10/20/2006 | Cosponsors: 57
Rep. Chris Ross (R-158, Chester)
Regular Session 2005-2006
Senate Bill 912
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 3/6/2006 | Cosponsors: 17
Sen. Joe Conti (R-10, Bucks and Montgomery)
Regular Session 2007-2008
House Bill 1400
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 6/18/2007 | Cosponsors: 71
Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23, Allegheny)
Regular Session 2007-2008
Senate Bill 761
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 4/12/2007 | Cosponsors: 21
Sen. Pat Browne (R-16 – Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton)
Regular Session 2009-2010
House Bill 300
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 3/11/2009 | Cosponsors: 76
Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23, Allegheny)

 


The 2010s

Regular Session 2011-2012
House Bill 300
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 4/28/2011 | Cosponsors: 63
Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23, Allegheny)
Regular Session 2011-2012
Senate Bill 910
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 4/6/2011 | Cosponsors: 7
Sen. Larry Farnese (D-1, Philadelphia)
Regular Session 2011-2012
Senate Bill 1050
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 5/11/2011 | Cosponsors: 13
Sen. Pat Browne (R-16, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton)
Regular Session 2013-2014
House Bill 300
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 9/8/2013 | Cosponsors: 97
Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23, Allegheny) and Rep. Chris Ross (R-158, Chester)
Regular Session 2013-2014
Senate Bill 300
Nondiscrimination for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Introduced: 9/8/2013 | Cosponsors: 26
Sen. Pat Browne (R-16, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton) and Sen. Larry Farnese (D-1, Philadelphia)