Pennsylvania SB 643: An Act amending the act of October 27, 1955 (P.L.744, No.222), known as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, further providing for definitions; prohibiting use of criminal history and retaliation relating to use of criminal history; providing for notice to prospective occupants and tenants relating to use of criminal history and for exclusions and other legal requirements relating to use of criminal history; and further providing for procedure and for civil penalties.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 655
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 643
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SAVAL, STREET, KEARNEY, SCHWANK, HUGHES, COMITTA,
KANE, HAYWOOD, MUTH, L. WILLIAMS, CAPPELLETTI, COSTA AND
TARTAGLIONE, APRIL 21, 2025
REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, APRIL 21, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of October 27, 1955 (P.L.744, No.222), entitled
"An act prohibiting certain practices of discrimination
because of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age or
national origin by employers, employment agencies, labor
organizations and others as herein defined; creating the
Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in the Governor's
Office; defining its functions, powers and duties; providing
for procedure and enforcement; providing for formulation of
an educational program to prevent prejudice; providing for
judicial review and enforcement and imposing penalties,"
further providing for definitions; prohibiting use of
criminal history and retaliation relating to use of criminal
history; providing for notice to prospective occupants and
tenants relating to use of criminal history and for
exclusions and other legal requirements relating to use of
criminal history; and further providing for procedure and for
civil penalties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 4 of the act of October 27, 1955
(P.L.744, No.222), known as the Pennsylvania Human Relations
Act, is amended by adding clauses to read:
Section 4. Definitions.--As used in this act unless a
different meaning clearly appears from the context:
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(bb) The term "accessory dwelling unit" means one or more
rooms that are located within a principle residence, or within
an accessory structure on the same lot as a principal residence,
that is designed, arranged and intended to be occupied by not
more than one household as living accommodations independent
from any other household and is so occupied or vacant.
(cc) The term "adverse action" means:
(1) refusing to engage in or negotiate a rental real estate
transaction;
(2) denying tenancy;
(3) representing that a housing accommodation is not
available for inspection, rental or lease when in fact it is so
available;
(4) failing or refusing to add a household member to an
existing lease;
(5) expelling or evicting, or threatening to expel or evict,
an occupant from a housing accommodation or otherwise making
unavailable or denying a housing accommodation;
(6) creating conditions that make a housing accommodation
uninhabitable or unsafe for an occupant;
(7) applying different terms, conditions or privileges to a
rental real estate transaction, including, but not limited to,
the setting of rates for rental or lease, establishment of
damage deposits or other financial conditions for rental or
lease or in the furnishing of facilities or services in
connection with the transaction;
(8) refusing or intentionally failing to list a housing
accommodation for rent or lease;
(9) refusing or intentionally failing to show a housing
accommodation listed for rent or lease;
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(10) refusing or intentionally failing to accept or transmit
a reasonable offer to lease or rent a housing accommodation;
(11) terminating a lease; or
(12) threatening, penalizing, retaliating or otherwise
discriminating against an individual for any reason prohibited
by section 5.4.
(dd) The term "arrest record" means information indicating
that a person has been apprehended, detained, taken into
custody, held for investigation or restrained by a law
enforcement department, military authority or United States
Immigration and Customs Enforcement due to an accusation or
suspicion that the person committed a crime. The term includes a
pending criminal charge where the accusation has not yet
resulted in a final judgment, disposition, adjudication,
acquittal, conviction, plea, dismissal or withdrawal.
(ee) The term "consumer report" means a written, oral or
other communication of information by a consumer reporting
agency bearing on a consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing
or credit capacity.
(ff) The term "consumer reporting agency" means a person
which, for monetary fees, dues or on a cooperative nonprofit
basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of
assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other
information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer
reports to third parties.
(gg) The term "conviction record" means information
regarding a finding or verdict of guilty, an adjudication of
delinquency whether deferred or otherwise, a final disposition
of a summary offense, an admission of guilt or a plea of nolo
contendere.
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(hh) The term "criminal history" has the s