FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2007 (Harrisburg, PA) - Legislation prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations was introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today. A press conference was held in the capitol to announce the bill's introduction. The bill, HB 1400, was co-sponsored by a record 70 members of the House. Similar legislation, SB761, was introduced in the Pennsylvania Senate in April with a record number of 22 co-sponsors. The Senate bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House bill is expected to go to the House State Government Committee where it has been assigned in the past. The Value All Families Coalition worked with legislative allies to gather support for this amendment to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) and Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh, Monroe, Northhampton), the prime sponsors of the House and Senate versions of the bill, spoke about the importance of this non-discrimination legislation in Pennsylvania. Rep. Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia), the Chair of the House State Government Committee, addressed the need for education and hearings on this issue. "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. I urge the legislature to move this legislation forward. It is needed. It is fair. It is time," said Stacey Sobel, executive director of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania. "We are very encouraged by the record number of legislators who have signed on as co-sponsors of this bill and we think it is a good sign for future progress," added Larry Frankel, legislative director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. Other speakers who support amending the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act included: Steve Glassman, Chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, which implements the law; Harrisburg City Councilman, Dan Miller, who was fired in 1990 because he is gay; Rev. Sandra L. Strauss, director of public advocacy, Pennsylvania Council of Churches; and Matt Yarnell of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Current Pennsylvania law provides basic legal protection against discrimination on the bases of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, handicap or disability, education and the use of a guide dog. Thirteen Pennsylvania municipalities have already enacted civil rights laws including protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. These municipalities are Allentown, Easton, Erie County, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lansdowne, New Hope, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Swarthmore, West Chester and York. State College also has an ordinance that only covers sexual orientation discrimination in housing. Approximately, seventy-five percent of the state's twelve million residents live or work in communities that do not provide these protections. Twenty states in the country have similar laws, including our neighboring states of New Jersey, Maryland and New York. The Value All Families Coalition is comprised of diverse organizations that support equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians. # # #
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