HARRISBURG, PA − October 8, 2024 − Today, Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) filed discharge petitions on three critical bills that have been stuck in committee due to inaction from Senate Republicans, who have refused to bring these bills and hundreds of others up for a vote. All three bills passed the House with bipartisan support in 2023.
These petitions require the full Senate to vote on whether to move a bill out of committee without a committee vote. For over 15 months, the three bills have sat in Committee without a vote.
The three bills for which Senator Costa filed Discharge Petitions are as follows:
- HB 300, known as the Fairness Act, would protect LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in Pennsylvania in the areas of housing, education, or access to public accommodations. This bill passed the House of Representatives 102-98 on May 2, 2023, and has sat in the Senate State Government Committee since May 3, 2023.
- HB 714 would close loopholes that allow certain gun purchases to happen without a background check. This bill passed the House of Representatives 109-92 on May 22, 2023, and has sat in the Senate Judiciary Committee since June 2, 2023.
- HB 1018 would establish Emergency Risk Protection Orders so that an individual experiencing a crisis can be temporarily disarmed after a hearing before a Judge. This bill passed the House of Representatives 102-99 on May 22, 2023, and has sat in the Senate Judiciary Committee since June 2, 2023.
“My colleagues and I in the Senate Democratic Caucus will not let bills about community safety and anti-discrimination go down without a fight,” said Senator Costa. “Protecting LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians from hatred in housing, schooling, and community spaces is the bare minimum of what we owe them. Expanding background check requirements for gun purchases will keep firearms out of the hands of bad actors. Emergency Risk Protection Orders will keep people we love alive when they are experiencing a crisis, from veterans to parents to students and beyond.
“As we approach the end of our legislative session, we will do the hard work the Senate Republicans refuse to do in order deliver safety, opportunity, and quality of life to every Pennsylvanian.”
The popularity of these bills flies in the face of the inaction they have seen in the Pennsylvania Senate. A Pew report indicates that 70% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats favor background checks for private firearm and gun show sales. In 2019, an APM Survey indicated that 77% of Americans support Emergency Risk Protection Orders. Over three quarters of US adults want to see legislation protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination per a 2022 study from the University of Chicago. And just today, Spotlight PA noted the popularity of these bills, even across party lines, with 63% of respondents saying they strongly or somewhat agree with an agenda that includes gun safety and nondiscrimination legislation.
With single-digit session days remaining before Sine Die, movement on these popular and bipartisan bills is critical if they are to be signed into law before November 30.
Learn more about the Senate Democrats’ commitment to fighting for every Pennsylvanian here.
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