summary
Introduced
01/30/2025
01/30/2025
In Committee
11/18/2025
11/18/2025
Crossed Over
03/17/2025
03/17/2025
Passed
11/25/2025
11/25/2025
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
11/25/2025
11/25/2025
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Amending the act of October 27, 1955 (P.L.744, No.222), entitled "An act prohibiting certain practices of discrimination because of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age or national origin by employers, employment agencies, labor organizations and others as herein defined; creating the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in the Governor's Office; defining its functions, powers and duties; providing for procedure and enforcement; providing for formulation of an educational program to prevent prejudice; providing for judicial review and enforcement and imposing penalties," further providing for definitions.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to expand definitions of "race" and "religious creed" to more comprehensively protect individuals from discrimination based on traits historically associated with their race or religion. Specifically, the bill adds protections for hairstyles and head coverings traditionally linked to racial or religious identity, including locs, braids, twists, coils, Bantu knots, afros, and extensions. While providing these expanded protections, the bill also allows employers to maintain workplace health and safety rules or policies that impact these characteristics, but only if the employer can demonstrate that such rules: are necessary to prevent potential health or safety impairment, are adopted for non-discriminatory reasons, are specifically tailored to the job position and activity, and are applied equally to all employees in similar positions. The bill does not prohibit employers from implementing policies to prevent hostile work environments, provided these policies are non-discriminatory and applied equally. The new provisions aim to address workplace discrimination that disproportionately affects individuals based on their natural hair or religious attire, and will take effect 60 days after passage.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Government Affairs
Sponsors (68)
La'Tasha Mayes (D)*,
Aerion Abney (D),
Anthony Bellmon (D),
Jessica Benham (D),
Aaron Bernstine (R),
Lisa Borowski (D),
Heather Boyd (D),
Tim Brennan (D),
Tim Briggs (D),
Amen Brown (D),
Danilo Burgos (D),
Andre Carroll (D),
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D),
Morgan Cephas (D),
Missy Cerrato (D),
Joe Ciresi (D),
Gina Curry (D),
Mary Jo Daley (D),
Nathan Davidson (D),
Tina Davis (D),
Dan Deasy (D),
Elizabeth Fiedler (D),
Justin Fleming (D),
José Giral (D),
Roni Green (D),
Nancy Guenst (D),
Manny Guzman (D),
Jim Haddock (D),
Liz Hanbidge (D),
Keith Harris (D),
Carol Hill-Evans (D),
Joe Hohenstein (D),
John Inglis (D),
Carol Kazeem (D),
Malcolm Kenyatta (D),
Tarik Khan (D),
Bridget Kosierowski (D),
Rick Krajewski (D),
Maureen Madden (D),
Dave Madsen (D),
Steve Malagari (D),
Brandon Markosek (D),
Joe McAndrew (D),
Joanna McClinton (D),
Jeanne McNeill (D),
Dan Miller (D),
Napoleon Nelson (D),
Jenn O'Mara (D),
Danielle Otten (D),
Darisha Parker (D),
Chris Pielli (D),
Lindsay Powell (D),
Tarah Probst (D),
Chris Rabb (D),
Nikki Rivera (D),
Abigail Salisbury (D),
Steve Samuelson (D),
Ben Sanchez (D),
Mike Schlossberg (D),
Gregory Scott (D),
Melissa Shusterman (D),
Izzy Smith-Wade-El (D),
Mandy Steele (D),
Arvind Venkat (D),
Ben Waxman (D),
Joseph Webster (D),
Dan Williams (D),
Regina Young (D),
Last Action
Act No. 54 of 2025 (on 11/25/2025)
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