Rep. Dan Frankel welcomes Gov. Wolf call for Fairness Act, other Pa. non-discrimination updates

HARRISBURG, April 5 – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, is welcoming Gov. Tom Wolf's renewed call to strengthen Pennsylvania's non-discrimination law. Frankel is the lead House sponsor of the Pennsylvania Fairness Act (H.B. 1410), which would include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in the types of discrimination banned statewide in the workplace, housing and public accommodations.

"I appreciate Governor Wolf's continued strong support for including LGBT Pennsylvanians in the protections of our state law," Frankel said. "Many Pennsylvanians are stunned when they learn state or federal law doesn't already protect LGBT people in in the workplace, in housing and public accommodations such as being able to eat in a restaurant or to get a hotel room like everyone else.

"Polls have shown consistent 70 percent support for this in Pennsylvania for eight years, and it's the right thing to do. It has bipartisan support in the legislature, and there should be hearings and votes on it."

Wolf also gave his support today to several other bills that would improve the state's non-discrimination law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. The proposals include: updating the law to require postings by employers that refer specifically to sexual harassment, to be introduced by state Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny; expanding the law to cover all employers and to include domestic workers and independent contractors; and updating the law to include interns in the definition of "employee" and to require employers to provide training on discrimination, harassment and retaliation prevention.