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Northampton County Council adopts Human Relations Commission ordinance after hours of public testimony and technical amendments
Summary
After more than an hour of public comment and several council amendments, Northampton County Council adopted an ordinance establishing a local Human Relations Commission to handle discrimination complaints and expand protected categories; the measure passed 9-0 on March 19, 2026.
Northampton County Council voted 9-0 on March 19 to adopt an ordinance establishing a county Human Relations Commission intended to provide a local forum for discrimination complaints and extend protections not explicitly covered by the state law.
The vote followed an extended public hearing in which more than a dozen residents, advocates and nonprofit leaders urged passage. Liz Bradbury, who identified herself as chair of the Lehigh County Human Relations Commission and CEO of Keystone Equality, told the council that a local commission can resolve complaints much faster than the state agency and offered free training for Northampton commissioners. "It's easy to implement and fair to both the complainant and the respondent," Bradbury said.
Speakers who testified included Corinne Goodwin, founder and executive director of the Eastern…
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