Local Bucks County Human Relations Commissions

n addition to the county-wide Bucks County Human Relations Council, several municipalities in Bucks County have enacted their own human relations ordinances.  If you live in one of these municipalities there may be more protection or resources for you there.  Below is a list of local HRCs.

Summary

  1. 6 Boroughs and 3 townships have adopted anti-discrimination ordinances primarily to close loophole in state and federal law that do not cover LGBT.
  2. Bristol Borough and New Hope Borough can investigate and conciliate but not hold hearings, issue facts and order remedies.
  3. Doylestown Borough prohibits conversion therapy; Yardley proposes to prohibit it.

Bristol Borough
250 Pond St
Bristol, PA 19007
Phone: 215-788-3828

  • Bristol Borough Human Relations Commission

  • http://bristolborough.com/boards.html
  • Enacted 2/10/1969, amended 9/9/2013
  • 7 member Commission appointed by the President of Borough Council with the consent of the Borough Council
  • race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, mental and physical disability, and use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids
  • Safeguard employment; assure equal opportunities; safeguard rights at places of public accommodation; in securing adequate housing; earning admission to institutions of learning

Duties:

  • To adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind rules and regulations effectuating the policies and provisions of this Part 5B.
  • To receive, investigate, pass upon, adjust, or refer elsewhere complaints of unlawful discriminatory practices and problems that would cause intergroup tensions and violations of the Bristol Borough Building Code [Chapter 5, Part 1].
  • To issue such publications and results of investigations and research as, in its judgment, will tend to promote goodwill and minimize or eliminate discrimination
  • To prepare and execute a comprehensive educational program designed to eliminate prejudice and discrimination based upon race, color, religious creed, ancestry, or national origin.
  • From time to time, but not less often than annually, to render a written report to the Borough Council describing in detail the investigations, activities, recommendations, and affirmative action programs undertaken; to make recommendations for the employment of administrative personnel and other procedures looking up to the increased effectiveness of its efforts.
  • The Borough Solicitor shall serve as legal advisor to the Commission.

Doylestown Borough
57 W Court St
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: 215-345-4140

  • Human Relations Commission

  • https://www.doylestownborough.net/pages/boards-commissions/human-relations-commission
  • enacted 8/16/2010
  • 7-15 members appointed by Borough Council
  • race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability, use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids
  • safeguard right to obtain and hold employment; assure equal opportunities; safeguard rights to public accommodation; secure housing accommodation and commercial property; equal access to post­secondary educational institutions
  • amended 12/18/17 to include conversion therapy as a prohibited form of discrimination
  • amended to include right to breastfeeding in public accommodation

Duties

  • Fact-finding following filing of complaint; Investigate complaints; issue subpoenas to any person charged with an unlawful practice to furnish information, records or other documents, or to give sworn testimony, as necessary to assist in its investigation
  • endeavor to eliminate the unlawful practice complained of by persuasion, conference and conciliation
  • hold a public hearing on the complaint; issue findings of fact; has the authority to order any remedies available to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

Langhorne Borough
114 E Maple Ave
Langhorne Borough, PA 19047
215-757-3768

  • Langhorne Borough Human Relations Commission

  • https://langhorneborough.com/boards-committees/human-relations-commission/
  • Established 10/11/2023
  • . . . to ensure that all persons, regardless of actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, mental or physical disability enjoy the full benefits of citizenship and are afforded equal opportunities for employment, housing, and the use of public accommodations, and to have equal access
    to post-secondary educational institutions . . .

Middletown Township
Municipal Way
Langhorne, PA 19047
Phone: 215-750 3800

Duties

  • The HRC conducts public trainings, educational sessions, informational seminars, and community activities to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in Middletown Township. The HRC works with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to address complaints made by Middletown residents related to discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations.

New Hope Borough
123 New St
New Hope, PA 18938
Phone: 215-862-3347

  • Human Relations Commission

  • https://www.newhopeborough.org/204/Human-Relations-Commission
  • Commission established 5/17/2011
  • Protections Against Unlawful Discrimination Adopted 9-10-2002; Amended 5-17-2011; 3-18-2014
  • 3-5 members appointed by Borough Council
  • Covers employment and housing practices discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity; and public accommodation

Duties

  • Complaints are conciliated by the Council and the Borough Manager.
  • Mediation is offered at expense of individuals involved and is provided by an outside mediator.
  • Human Relations Commission enforces the Borough’s law that prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and places of public accommodation, and promotes equal opportunity. Currently seeking new ways to increase community visibility of our existence, especially in the Hispanic community and by the parents of New Hope-Solebury students.

Newtown Borough Council
23 North State St
Newtown, PA 18940
Phone: 215-968-2109

  • Human Relations Commission

  • https://www.boroughofnewtown.com/boards-committees
  • https://johnmacknewtown.info/hrc_meetings.html
  • Enacted 10/12/2011
  • 5 members appointed by Borough Council
  • race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, mental or physical, etc.
  • equal opportunities for employment, housing and the use of public accommodations.
  • The Commission was established to ensure that all persons, regardless of actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, mental or physical,etc. are afforded equal opportunities for employment, housing and the use of public accommodations. If an individual feels discrimination has been involved, this commission will hear their formal complaint.

Duties

  • Complaints filed; commission holds fact-finding conference; may dismiss complaint or investigate the allegations; issue subpoenas; attempt conciliation; hold hearings; find fact; issue cease and desist from such unlawful discriminatory practice and to take such additional action as the Commission deems appropriate.
  • The Commission shall have the authority to order any remedies available to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

Newtown Township
100 Municipal Dr
Newtown, PA 18940
Phone: 215-968-2800

  • Human Relations Commission

  • https://newtownpa.gov/newtown-township-human-relations-commission/
  • https://johnmacknewtown.info/hrc_meetings.html
  • Enacted 11/28/2018
  • Consists of no fewer than three and no more than five members, appointed by the Board of Supervisors
  • In order to ensure that all persons, regardless of actual or perceived race, color, gender, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, familial status, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids enjoy the full benefits of citizenship and are afforded equal opportunities for employment, housing and the use of public accommodations, and to have equal access to postsecondary educational institutions.

Duties

Solebury Township
Township Building
3092 Sugan Rd
Solebury Township, PA 18963
Phone: 215-297-5656

Duties

  • Mediate disputes between parties.
  • investigate complaints of discriminatory action involving employment, housing, public accommodations,and post–secondary education by any persons of organizations on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, familial status, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids because of blindness, deafness, or other disabilities or any other basis prohibited by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

Yardley Borough
56 S Main St
6ardley, PA
Phone: 215-493-6832

  • Human Relations Commission

  • Adopted 3/9/2018
  • 3-5 member council
  • race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, marital status, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability, use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids
  • also bans conversion therapy
  • https://www.yardleyboro.org/elected-officials

Duties

  • Complaints filed; commission holds fact-finding conference; may dismiss complaint or investigate the allegations; issue subpoenas; attempt conciliation; hold hearings; find fact; issue cease and desist from such unlawful discriminatory practice and to take such additional action as the Commission deems appropriate.
  • The Commission shall have the authority to order any remedies available to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.