Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus has proposed two new bills aimed at expanding anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community and formally codifying marriage equality in state law. The bills are a response to the record number of anti-LGBTQ bills being advanced in Republican-led state legislatures nationwide.
One of the bills, introduced by State Reps. Malcolm Kenyatta and Danilo Burgos, among others, seeks to protect marriage equality against further high court cases that could erode the right. The bill would also update the language of the statute to be in line with the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges that legalized same-sex marriage, and repeal the section of Pennsylvania’s marriage law that only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman.
The second bill, known as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, seeks to update the Fairness Act and provide comprehensive anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ Pennsylvanians. The bill would protect individuals from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
These bills have bipartisan support, with State Rep. Jamie Flick, a Republican, joining as a prime sponsor of the marriage equality bill. In a joint statement, the sponsors of the Fairness Act said that “Pennsylvania’s lack of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law is an embarrassment and a deterrent for workers and businesses who could help grow our economy.”
The bills aim to ensure equal rights for same-sex couples and prohibit any discrimination based on gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Pennsylvania, like many other states, retains outdated, unconstitutional and unnecessary sections of law that prohibit marriage equality. Until last year, Pennsylvania retained a law that made homosexuality a crime.
Kenyatta, who serves as co-chair of the Pennsylvania LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, said, “Pennsylvania is better when it is fairer. Every one of us deserves a commonwealth that is free from discrimination and hate. This is not just the right thing, it’s the smart thing and the necessary thing if we want Pennsylvania to be the best place to live, work, and retire.”
The proposed bills are a significant step towards ensuring equal rights and protections for the LGBTQ community in Pennsylvania.