Thousands of bills are introduced into the Pennsylvania General Assembly each legislative session. Each session is two years for both the House and Senate. For over a decade, PYC has actively monitored the introduction of both negative and positive substantive legislation impacting LGBTQ Pennsylvanians. In past sessions, we only had a handful of well-known bills. In the sessions we have now, dozens of bills are introduced that relate to LGBTQ people across the commonwealth. 

The following list will include bills and resolutions as they are introduced. This listing is up to date as of April 24, 2025.

In the 2023-2024 session there were 71 bills and nine resolutions that introduced that would have had a positive impact on LGBTQ Pennsylvanians, and 14 bills that were introduced that would have had a negative impact on LGBTQ Pennsylvanians. Last session, six positive LGBTQ bills and two resolutions were passed by the state House, and two anti-LGBTQ bills were passed by the state Senate. No substantive LGBTQ legislation was enacted in the previous legislative session.

New bills are being introduced every day, so please refer to the General Assembly website here for more information.

 

Positive Bills

State House of Representatives

HB 489: Investing in Arts and Culture (Representative Ben Waxman)*

HB 632: HIV Decriminalization (Representative Ben Waxman)*

HB 719: Prohibiting Insurance Discrimination for Persons on PrEP and PEP Act (Representatives Tarik Khan, Greg Scott, Ben Sanchez, Malcolm Kenyatta, Abigail Salisbury, Darisha Parker, Ismail Smith-Wade-El, Andre Carroll)

HB 845: Name Change Process Reform (Representative Joe Webster)

HB 974: Protecting Private Parties and Public Safety in Right-to-Know Requests (Representative Tim Brennan)* 

HB 1040: LGBTQ+ Inclusive Curriculum (Representative Joe Hohenstein, Nancy Guenst, Ismail Smith-Wade-El, Paul Takac, Tarik Khan, Andre Carroll)

HB 1311: Prohibition of the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense (Representatives Mike Schlossberg, Ben Sanchez)

HB 1312: Dying with Dignity: Affirming Gender Identity in Death Certificates (Representative Ben Sanchez)

HB 1313: Remove Sex from Birth Certificates (Representatives Ben Sanchez, Joe Webster)

HB 1314: Name Change Assistance Grants (Representative Ben Sanchez)

HB 1315: Reform Name Change Procedures (Representative Ben Sanchez)

HR 86: Resolution Designating March 17, 2025, as “Bayard Rustin Day” in Pennsylvania (Representatives Andre Carroll, Malcolm Kenyatta, Rick Krajewski, Greg Scott, Ismail Smith-Wade-El)

HR 94: Designating February 28, 2025, as “HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day” (Representative Ben Waxman)

To be Introduced: Nondiscrimination Policies to Protect All Students (Representatives Nancy Guenst, Joe Hohenstein, Ismail Smith-Wade-El, Paul Takac, Tarik Khan, Andre Carroll)

To be Introduced: Anti-Hate Crimes Package (Representatives Dan Frankel and Napoleon Nelson)

To be Introduced: Protecting LGBTQ+ Individuals from Discrimination in the Credit Service Industry (Representative Liz Hanbidge)

To be Introduced: Marriage Equality (Representatives Malcolm Kenyatta, Jessica Benham, Jamie Flick, Danilo Burgos, La’Tasha Mayes)

To be Introduced: Designating April 7th through 11th 2025 as “Health Equity Week” in Pennsylvania (Representative Morgan Cephas)


State Senate

SB 189: Data for LGBTQ Lives (Senator Sharif Street)

SB 212: Prohibition of the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense (Senator Maria Collett)

SB 388: Anti-Discrimination Constitutional Amendment (Senator Lisa Boscola)

Sb 389: Protecting LGBTQ+ Individuals from Discrimination in the Credit Service Industry (Senator Lisa Boscola)

SB 434: Marriage Equality (Senator Carolyn Comitta)

SB 437: Navigating Pennsylvania’s Current Name Change Process (Senators Linsdey Williams, Tim Kearney, Amanda Cappellettii, Katie Muth)

SB 477: Removal of Sex from Birth Certificates (Senators Tim Kearney, Amanda Cappellettii, Katie Muth, Linsdey Williams)

SB 448: Administrative Name Change Reform (Senators Amanda Cappellettii, Katie Muth, Tim Kearney, Linsdey Williams)

SB 496: Protecting LGBTQ Students from Discrimination (Senators Lindsey Williams, Carolyn Comitta)

SB 510: Name Change Grant Program (Senators Tim Kearney, Amanda Cappellettii, Katie Muth, Linsdey Williams)

SB 521: Removing Publication Requirements for Name Changes (Senators Katie Muth, Amanda Cappellettii, Tim Kearney, Linsdey Williams)

To be Introduced: Grants to Help LGBTQ+ Senior Citizens (Senator Sharif Street)

To be Introduced: Protections for LGBTQ Foster and Adoptive Parents (Senators Carolyn Comitta, Judy Schwank, Patty Kim, Maria Collett)

To be Introduced: Decriminalizing HIV in Pennsylvania (Senator Vincent Hughes)

To be Introduced: Protections for LGBTQ Foster and Adoptive Parents (Senators Carolyn Comitta, Judy Schwank, Patty Kim, Maria Collett)

 

Negative Bills

State House of Representatives

HB 83: Physical, Dental, and Mental Healthcare Consent Ban for 14 + 15-Year-Old Minors (Representative Barbara Gleim)*

HB 158: Anti-Trans Student Sports Ban (Representatives Barbara Gleim, Martina White, Stephanie Borowicz)

HB 227: Anti-LGBTQ Circiculum Legislation/Formerly the ‘Anti-Indoctrination in Education Act’ (Representative Barbara Gleim)

HB 236: “Removing Obscene Material from Our School Libraries” (Representative Barbara Gleim)

HB 246: Prohibiting Educational Requirements at Schools that Include Diversity (Representative Stephanie Scialabba)*

HB 248: Parental Notification and Consent for Student Participation in School-Related Clubs and Organizations (Representative Stephanie Scialabba)*

HB 252: Parental Notification and Consent for Student Access and Use of a Mental Health Services Digital Platform (Representative Stephanie Scialabba)*

HB 581: Anti-LGBTQ Inclusion in Public Education/Don’t Say LGBTQ Bill (Representative Stephanie Borowicz)

HB 1033: Trans Youth Healthcare Ban (Representative Brad Roae)

To be Introduced: Prohibiting Speech Condemning Anti-Trans Rhetoric (Representative Robert Leadbeter)

To be Introduced: Felony of the Third Degree for an Individual Allowing a Minor to Attend a Drag Show (Representative Robert Leadbeter)

To be Introduced: Constitutional Amendment “Recognizing Only Male and Female in Pennsylvania” (Representative Stephanie Borowicz)

To be Introduced: Repealing the Obscenity Exemption for Schools (Representative Stephanie Scialabba)*

To be Introduced: Abrogate Chapter 49 Regulations Related to Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education (Representative Stephanie Scialabba)

To Be Introduced: “Classifying Drag Performances as an Adult-Oriented Business” (Representative Aaron Bernstine)

 

State Senate

SB 9: Anti-Trans Student Sports Ban (Senators Judy Ward, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Kim L. Ward, Lisa Baker, Michele Brooks, Camera Bartolotta, Tracy Pennycuick, Rosemary M. Brown, Lynda Schlegel Culver, Dawn Keefer)

SB 213: “Two Gender Protection” (Senator Doug Mastriano)

SB 230: “Parental Control of Student Exposure to Sexually Explicit Content in Schools” (Senator Doug Mastriano)

To be Introduced: Trans Youth Healthcare Ban (Senator Judy Ward)

To be Introduced: Trans Youth Healthcare Services Ban with Public Funding (Senator Judy Ward)

 

* = not an LGBTQ-specific bill, but one that would disproportionally impact LGBTQ people