The Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission has approved amendments to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), which provide new definitions of race, sex and religious creed, and effectively protect against hairstyle discrimination. The new rules are set to take effect within 60 days of their publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has signed into law the Employee Commuter Transit Benefit Ordinance. 

Pennsylvania has joined the growing list of states legalizing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. On April 17, 2016, Pennsylvania enacted its Medical Marijuana Act (the “Act”) and, although the law took effect on May 17, 2016, the State’s Department of Health must now go through the process of creating and implementing a regulatory program before its constituents can begin dispensing and using medical marijuana.

Amendments to Philadelphia’s “Ban the Box” legislation, the Fair Criminal Records Screening Standards, were signed into law.