LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS
Keystone Equality carefully reviews legislation that could have an impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians. While there are some legislative bills that could harm our Community, there are many more that would have a positive impact. We ask you to join us in reviewing this legislation and then encourage you to contact your state representatives to take an active position on these bills as appropriate.
Pennsylvania Legislation keystone equality Supports
Pennsylvania Fairness Act (HB 300/SB150) - Would ensure that all Pennsylvania residents are protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodation based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Marriage Equality (HB 2269 - Would amend Title 23 and update Pennsylvania’s now-unconstitutional definition of marriage which only recognizes marriage as being between a man and a woman. This bill would reflect protections for marriage equality.
Legal Name Change Reform (SB 523/524/526/528/530 and HB 609/610/638) - Would modernize and reform the legal name change process to include the elimination of the publication requirement and introduce a lower cost administrative process, as well as other reforms.
LGBTQ Hate Crimes Amendment (SB 63) - If enacted, this legislation would add ancestry, sex, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, intellectual disability, physical or sensory disability, and behavioral or mental health to the Commonwealth’s hate crimes statute.
Data for LGBTQ+ Lives (SB 326) - If enacted, this legislation would require the Commonwealth to add lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identifiers on all State forms, documents and applications, thereby recognizing that LGBTQ people exist and are due the same rights as others.
Protecting LGBTQ People From Discrimination in Credit (SB 474/HB 933) - If passed, this bill would explicitly ban discrimination in the credit industry so that LGBTQ people have a remedy if they experience discrimination when purchasing a home, car, etc.
Act to Protect LGBTQ Students From Discrimination in Private Schools (SB 554) - If passed, this bill would make it illegal for any private school that receives state funding to discriminate against LGBTQ students with regard to after school or during school clubs/activities.
An Act to Ban Conversion Therapy (SB 575) - Conversion therapy (often erroneously called reparative therapy) is a harmful practice whereby LGBTQ people are subjected to mental and physical torture or punishment designed to force someone to be “straight.” Conversion Therapy has been proven to cause significant harm and is not supported by any bonafide mental health organization in the United States. If passed, this legislation would ban the practice in the State for children under 18.
Elimination of LGBTQ Panic Defense (HB 637) - If passed, this bill would make it illegal for anyone to use the fear of someone’s LGBTQ identity as a justification for assault or murder.
Rights and Protections for All Students (HB 1999) - Would require public schools to implement policies to include disciplinary consequences for bullying against a student based on the student's actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Furthermore, public school entities would be required to establish publicly available guidelines for student and family support in the case of a transgender student’s gender transition.
Diversity Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program (HB 1998) - Would require the State Department of Education to establish a model Diversity Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program that would provide instruction to students on historical, political, economic and social contributions of individuals of the LGBTQ+ community.
Nondiscrimination Awareness And Prevention Policy(HB 1997) - Would amend the Public School Code to require publicly-funded schools to develop a nondiscrimination awareness and prevention policy. The policy would include a statement affirming that students and school employees will not be discriminated against or harassed based on their actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or disability.
Supporting Gender Diverse Students In Public Schools (HB 2024) - Would protect the rights of students to access the restroom or locker room that aligns with their consistently asserted gender identity. The bill would also protect the right of students to play on school sports teams that align with their consistently asserted gender identity.
PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATION WE ARE AGAINST
Gender Affirmation Therapy Statute of Limitations Amendment (HB 138) - Would inappropriately increase the statute of limitations for gender affirming care of any kind for up to the age of 30 in cases where a minor was provided such care. If passed, this legislation would have the effect of making the cost of liability insurance prohibitive for healthcare workers seeking to provide affirming care for transgender people. This bill intentionally targets the transgender community by making healthcare harder to obtain for all transgender people.
Removing Obscene Materials from School Libraries Act (HB 209) - Would arbitrarily require schools to remove all books and educational materials that are deemed to be “obscene” from their library collections, without defining what “obscene” means. It does not provide a mechanism for determining what materials are considered obscene. It is clearly targeted at erasing LGBTQ+ representation.
So-called “Honesty in Education Act” (HB 211) - This is a new version of a bill formerly called “The Anti-Indoctrination in Education Act” and is a thinly disguised attempt to limit what and how educators can teach around topics such as the Holocaust, Slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and LGBTQ+ issues. Additionally, the bill states that no school or teacher may be disciplined for refusing to teach about these or other topics when they disagree with approved curriculum.
So-called “Protecting Women’s Sports Act” (HB 216) - If enacted, this bill would ban any transgender student from participating in any form of school-sponsored sport activity or team that aligns with their consistently asserted gender identity from kindergarten through college. This bill would not only deny transgender youth from gaining the benefits of participating in school-sponsored sports programs but could also put cisgender girls at risk of being accused of being transgender.
So-called “Parental Rights in Education Act” (HB 319) - Designed to erase LGBTQ+ identities. It would disallow any mention of LGBTQ+, even disallowing children from being able to speak about their own families. This legislation is a “Don’t Say Gay” bill. It would prevent any form of instruction about “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” through 5th grade. Additionally, the bill would require all teachers and staff to inform a child’s parents of any student’s disclosure of their LGBTQ status at any age, thereby outing all students when parents may force them to leave home.