EDITORIAL: Common sense bill to 'live, let live'

May 9—Gender and sexual orientation occupy a disproportionate amount of political space these days because they have become wedge issues. So the state House, especially two Republican members from Luzerne County, deserve great credit for cutting through the noise recently and passing a bill that is a simple matter of civil rights.

Pennsylvania already has a state law barring discrimination due to race, sex, religion, age or disability, and empowers the state Human Relations Commission to investigate complaints of discrimination.

The new bill amends the law specifically to preclude discrimination based on "sexual orientation, gender identity or expression." It would preclude discrimination on those grounds in employment and housing.

Sponsored by Democratic Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia, the bill is limited in scope but eliminates any confusion about the basic civil rights of all Pennsylvanians.

Opponents trotted out the usual array of straw men, arguing that ensuring civil rights for all Pennsylvanians diminishes the religious rights of some Pennsylvanians to ... discriminate against other Pennsylvanians.

The bill passed the narrowly divided House, with Luzerne County Republican Reps. Aaron Kaufer, of Kingston, and Alec Ryncavage, of Plymouth, joining all but one Democratic member, Frank Burns of Cambria County, in the majority.

Kaufer noted that the bill contains specific language protecting religious institutions from having to act contrary to their teachings, which is substantially different than allowing any individual from using religion as an excuse to discriminate on the grounds of gender identity or sexual orientation.

As Ryncavage put it, "this is a bill to live and let live and ensure our neighbors are not humiliated."

Senate Republicans, who hold a six-vote majority, should not humiliate themselves when the bill arrives by endorsing discrimination. They should pass it.

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