Yesterday [April 6, 2016], Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced his plans to issue anti-discrimination executive orders, prohibiting discrimination by state contractors against the LGBT community.
It was during an interview with Pittsburgh’s WESA radio station that Wolf made his intentions public, alluding to the decision made by Paypal to cease operations in North Carolina where legislation bans local government from implementing anti-discriminatory policies and laws in regard to sexual orientation and gender identity.
“We want to be known as a place that is open for everybody who works hard, who wants to build a career and raise a family or build a business,” Wolf said over the airways. “These are things we want in Pennsylvania and you can’t have that if your a state is being seen as unfair, so that non-discrimination legislation is absolutely essential.”
Governor Wolf plans to sign into action two separate pieces of legislation.
The first order will state that no agency under the governor’s jurisdiction will be allowed to discriminate against an employee or potential employee on the basis of their “sexual orientation, gender expression or identity”.
The second one ensures that state contracting protocol and procedures will be nondiscriminatory and that businesses contracting with the state and state grant recipients will implement nondiscriminatory practices in all labor matters, including hiring and subcontracting.
The office of the governor released this official statement regarding Wolf’s plans.
“Governor Wolf tomorrow will sign two executive orders – one pertaining to commonwealth employees and the other to the commonwealth grants and procurement process – that each say no agency under the governor’s jurisdiction shall discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender expression, and identity, among other areas. This is an important step in ensuring equality, but Pennsylvania must do more and the governor will also call on the legislature to finally pass non-discrimination legislation. What happened in North Carolina, and what is going on in other states, should be a call to pass non-discrimination legislation in Pennsylvania now. The governor wants to make clear that Pennsylvania is inclusive, welcoming, and open for business for everyone.”
