Pennsylvania Rep. looks to combat LGBTQ+ discrimination in credit industry

PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — A Representative introduced a bill that looks to combat LGBTQ+ discrimination in the Credit Service Industry.

Authored by Rep. Liz Hanbidge (D – Montgomery), the bill cites data from the Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University, where the national mortgage data was analyzed. The college found that the approval rate for same-sex couples was 3-8% lower than for heterosexual couples from 1990 to 2015. The data showed that same-sex applicants were around 73% more likely to be denied financing and, if approved, paid more in interest and fees.

“My legislation aims to combat this discrimination by amending Pennsylvania’s Credit Services Act,” Hanbidge wrote. “The bill adds denying credit or increasing charges and fees based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression as a ‘prohibited activity’ for credit service companies.”

Mortgage applicants are not required to disclose their sexual orientation, however, researchers suggest that perception and internal bias can be “just as damaging” in terms of discrimination.