In Pennsylvania, municipalities are empowered by the state to enact local LGBTQ equality laws and policies. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act of 1955 allows for cities, townships, boroughs, and counties to pass ordinances creating local human relations commissions that can enforce policies on nondiscrimination. With the Pennsylvania General Assembly having stalled on statewide nondiscrimination legislation for several decades, communities across our commonwealth have organized to enact local laws. Young people have a great opportunity to get involved in this advocacy and have played critical roles in these efforts.

As of July 2024, at least 75 local and county governments across Pennsylvania have adopted an LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance. This includes at least 71 of Pennsylvania’s 2,560 municipalities and four of the state’s 67 counties. The residents of these communities amount to approximately 38% of Pennsylvania’s overall population (US Census – 2020) across 261 total municipalities. Pennsylvania has the most number of LGBTQ-inclusive local nondiscrimination ordinances adopted of any state in the nation (Movement Advancement Project) that have yet to adopted a comprehensive statewide law. Below is the list of Pennsylvania municipalities that have adopted nondiscrimination ordinances, with links to those ordinances.

Additional information on many of the early local nondiscrimination ordinances in PA can be found at the Suburban and Rural Alliance of PA website.



Abington Township (April 12, 2012)
Allegheny County (July 1, 2009)
Aspinwall Borough (December 8, 2021)
City of Allentown (April 4, 2002)
Ambler Borough (May 17, 2016)
City of Bethlehem (July 1, 2011)
Bloomsburg Town (October 26, 2020)
Bridgeport Borough (April 24, 2018)
Bristol Borough (September 9, 2013)
Camp Hill Borough (May 10, 2017)
Carlisle Borough (December 8, 2016)
Cheltenham Township (February 15, 2012)
Conshohocken Borough (April 21, 2011)
Crafton Borough (November 23, 2020)
Dickson City Borough (June 14, 2016)
Dormont Borough (October 5, 2021)

Downingtown Borough  (March 19, 2014)
Doylestown Borough (August 16, 2010)
City of Easton (July 12, 2006)
East Norriton Township (July 24, 2012)
Erie County (February 26, 2002)
Etna Borough (November 17, 2020)
Gettysburg Borough (December 14, 2020)
City of Harrisburg (1983)
Hatboro Borough (May 21, 2018)
Haverford Township (February 14, 2011)
Huntingdon Borough (December 17, 2019)
Jenkintown Borough (November 28, 2011)
Kennett Square Borough (March 6, 2017)
City of Lancaster (November 27, 2001)
Lansdale Borough (August 15, 2018)
Lansdowne Borough (March 15, 2006)
Lehigh County (February 14, 2024)
Lower Gwynedd Township (May 10, 2022)
Lower Merion Township (December 8, 2010)
Lower Providence Township (November 17, 2022)
Middletown Township (September 8, 2020)
City of Monessen (January 12, 2021)
Montgomery Township (October 26, 2020)
Mt. Lebanon Township (November 14, 2017)
Narberth Borough (June 21, 2017)
Newtown Borough (October 11, 2011)
Newtown Township (November 28, 2018)
New Hope Borough (September 10, 2002)
Norristown Borough (July 3, 2018)
North Wales Borough (October 22, 2019)
City of Philadelphia (SO: August 5, 1982/GI: May 16, 2002)
Phoenixville Borough (March 15, 2017)
City of Pittsburgh (SO: April 3, 1990/GI: February 7, 1997)
City of Pittston (May 28, 2013)
Plymouth Township (April 9, 2018)
City of Reading (September 28, 2009)
Ross Township (September 17, 2018)
Royersford Borough (March 28, 2017)
City of Scranton (December 8, 2003)
Sharpsburg Borough (December 17, 2020)
Shippensburg Borough (September 1, 2020)
Springfield Township (September 14, 2011)
State College Borough (December 17, 2007)
Stroudsburg Borough (April 18, 2017)
Susquehanna Township (December 8, 2011)
Swarthmore Borough (March 13, 2006)
Swissvale Borough (January 4, 2023)
Upper Dublin Township (September 12, 2017)
Upper Gwynedd Township (September 14, 2020)
Upper Merion Township (October 18, 2012)
Upper Moreland Township (April 1, 2019)
West Chester Borough (September 20, 2006)
West Conshohocken Borough (July 10, 2018)
West Norriton Township (August 14, 2018)
Whitemarsh Township (November 17, 2011)
Whitpain Township (September 15, 2020)
City of Wilkes-Barre
 (September 15, 2016)
Yardley Borough (March 6, 2018)
City of York (September 15, 1998)

Education Note: As separate units of local governments, school districts can also adopt inclusive nondiscrimination policies in terms of sexual orientation and gender identity. Please visit the website of your local school district board of directors to review their nondiscrimination policies.