Pennsylvania lawmakers advance LGBTQ+ protections despite GOP objections

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania advanced employment protections for LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive workers. Those were among eight bills that cleared the House Judiciary Committee that were supported by equality advocates.

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“As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to ensure our laws reflect both our shared values and the realities of today,” said House Judiciary Committee Chair Tim Briggs, a Democrat. “These bills address longstanding gaps in our statutes, protect vulnerable communities, and ensure our justice system treats people fairly while keeping Pennsylvanians safe.”

Chief among the bills was the Fairness Act, sponsored by out Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta. The Democratic bill updates Pennsylvania’s anti-discrimination law to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in housing, education, and public accommodations.

Republicans complained the bill was advanced with too little discussion. GOP Rep. Stephanie Borowicz complained she was “being marginalized in committee and you can’t even ask a question.” She also referenced LGBTQ+ employees as “a perversion of God’s creation

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But Kenyatta said that rang untrue.

“You cannot be a bully and the victim,” he posted on Instagram. In committee, he said Borowicz should feel glad that she is not part of the “microscopically small” group of Pennsylvanians who need the protections and face discrimination.

The committee also advanced a bill eliminating certain parts of Pennsylvania law criminalizing HIV status and making sure the statute reflects the current scientific understanding of how the virus spreads. A House resolution designating Feb. 26 officially as “HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day.”

Other legislation would outlaw the use of the “LGBTQ+ panic” defense in court, forbidding the use of the sexuality of a victim to justify a crime. “Justice should never hinge on prejudice,” said Rep. Ben Sanchez, the bill’s sponsor. “This legislation ensures that bias against LGBTQ+ individuals cannot be used as a legal strategy to excuse or justify acts of violence.”

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Another bill from Sanchez would eliminate public notice requirements for legal name changes after transitioning. Kenyatta also carried through the committee a bill formally eliminating language in the Pennsylvania statute that still defines marriage as only including unions between men and women.

The Judiciary Committee also moved bills from Rep. Dan Frankel that would enhance police training for investigating hate crimes and expand penalties for violating the rights of people based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or national origin.