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Rep. Kenyattas amendment to nondiscrimination bill wins narrow House vote after heated floor debate
Summary
On April 16, 2026, the Pennsylvania House adopted amendment A02740 to House Bill 2103 after extended debate about the amendments effect on schools, medical providers and religious freedom; the amendment passed 101to99.
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, the amendments sponsor, defended A02740 on the House floor on April 16, saying it strengthens nondiscrimination protections while preserving existing religious-liberty safeguards and urging colleagues to "stand for every single person in your districts." The House adopted the amendment by a recorded vote of 101 to 99 and ordered the bill to be reprinted.
Supporters, including Rep. Kenyatta, framed the amendment as bipartisan and necessary to ensure Pennsylvanians are not denied housing, employment or public accommodations on the basis of who they are. Kenyatta said the bill "restates current statute as it relates to the Religious Freedom Protection Act" and that "there's nothing in the bill that is objectionable." He urged members to vote to give Pennsylvanians protections that many other states already provide.
Opponents pressed for limits and raised specific concerns about where the amendment would apply. Rep. Borowicz told the House the measure "does not describe how many genders there are" and warned it could criminalize speech, saying, "You do not get to redefine gender." Rep. Cutler warned the chamber the language could be interpreted to cover schools, doctors and shelters, and cited out-of-state court decisions as reasons for caution. Rep. Cutler said courts and administrative interpretation can bring the bill within the scope of public-accommodations law and that "sports, while not directly mentioned, it would impact them as well." Rep. Topper emphasized the risk to religious expression and said he believed the amendment could apply to restrooms, locker rooms and high-school athletics.
Back-and-forth on the floor included sharp exchanges. When one member mocked research about "cat and dog genders," Kenyatta replied that the ridicule was unhelpful and urged members to read the bill. Rep. Benham and Rep. Frankel spoke in favor of the amendment, saying it aligns Pennsylvania with a majority of states that protect LGBTQ residents and is supported by business groups and chambers of commerce.
After debate and a recorded vote, the clerk announced the ayes as 101 and the nays as 99; the chair said the amendment was agreed to and the bill would be reprinted. The amendment and subsequent legislative steps leave the bill positioned for further floor action and eventual transmission to the Senate if the House approves final passage of the reprinted bill.
