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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Dan Frankel |
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LGBT Equality Caucus co-chairman Frankel hails Fitzgerald promise kept
on domestic-partner benefits
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 6 – State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, co-chairman of the LGBT Equality Caucus in the legislature, today praised new Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald for announcing he will use an executive order to keep his promise to implement same-sex domestic-partner benefits for county employees.
"I applaud Executive Fitzgerald for keeping this promise. This will send a positive signal to prospective businesses and residents that we value diversity in Allegheny County and will help the county to attract and retain quality employees. Allegheny County will join major employers such as the 59 percent of Fortune 500 companies that provide domestic-partner benefits to their employees. This is also part of a continuing statewide trend toward greater fairness and equality for our LGBT family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors," Frankel said.
Last year, members of the state House and Senate formed an LGBT Equality Caucus for the first time. The idea to create a caucus was suggested to a number of members early in 2011 by Equality Pennsylvania. It is the first caucus of its kind dedicated solely to educating legislators on the lives and challenges facing Pennsylvania's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, citizens as well as being a voice on equality issues within the legislature.
The 26 members of the caucus have signed on to this mission statement: "The mission of the Pennsylvania LGBT Equality Caucus is to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. The bi-partisan LGBT Equality Caucus will be comprised of Members of the General Assembly who are strongly committed to achieving the full enjoyment of human rights for LGBT people in the Commonwealth and around the nation. By serving as a resource for Members of the General Assembly, their staff, and the public on LGBT issues, the Caucus will work toward the extension of equal rights, the repeal of discriminatory laws, the elimination of hate-motivated violence, and the improved health and well-being for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression."
Members of the LGBT Equality Caucus are: Frankel, co-chairman Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila.; co-chairman Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery/Delaware; Reps. Matthew Smith, D-Allegheny; Ronald Buxton, D-Dauphin; Michael Sturla, D-Lancaster; Eugene DePasquale, D-York; Tina Davis and Steven Santarsiero, D-Bucks; Matthew Bradford, Timothy Briggs and Michael Gerber, all D-Montgomery; Lawrence Curry, D-Montgomery/Phila.; Joseph Brennan, D-Lehigh/Northampton; Brendan Boyle and Pamela DeLissio, both D-Phila./Montgomery; Kevin Boyle, Vanessa Lowery Brown, Mark Cohen, Michael McGeehan, Michael O'Brien, Cherelle Parker, Tony Payton and James Roebuck, all D-Phila.; and Sens. Jim Ferlo, D-Allegheny/Westmoreland/Armstrong, and Lawrence Farnese, D-Phila.
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