On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs and education and youth advocates denounced Senate Bill 1278, alleging that it is a copy-paste version of Florida’s discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would harm students and set back human rights in Pennsylvania.

The Senate Bill 1278, which was introduced on June 10, ​2022, was approved on June 21st along party lines by the Senate Education Committee and headed to the full Senate for consideration. Subsequently, the bill was re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 22nd.

Rafael Álvarez Febo, executive director of the LGBTQ Affairs Commission stated that, “This bill, which was introduced in the middle of Pride Month, is a cruel attempt to politicize LGBTQ people and deny their humanity in order to score cheap political points… Even more alarming, these bills have emboldened far right hate groups to mobilize to commit violence against LGBTQ people…While Pennsylvanians are struggling with very real issues such as gun violence, soaring prices and underfunded schools, the General Assembly has chosen to pick on LGBTQ children and teachers to score political points.”

To view the PA Newsroom press release, click here.

To view SB 1278, click here.