The Pennsylvania House passed a bill Tuesday that would ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression in employment and housing.
Known as the Fairness Act, House Bill 300 would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, which currently bans employers and landlords from discriminating based on race, religion, ancestry, age, and national origin.
The bill’s co-sponsors wrote a memo detailing the importance of the legislation, saying:
In the landmark 2020 decision Bostock v. Clayton County, the United States Supreme Court ruled that an employer cannot discriminate against an individual because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. While this decision was an historic victory for civil rights, it does not prevent someone in our state who identifies as LGBTQ+ from being denied housing, education, or access to public accommodations simply because of who they are or who they love.
State Representative Dan Frankel (D-23rd District), who co-sponsored the bill, urged