Conklin, Penn State senior propose updates to Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
Rep. Scott Conklin September 9, 2026 | 10:54 AM
State Rep. Scott Conklin held a news conference Tuesday to discuss his proposed legislation that would provide updates to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
Conklin was joined at his State College district office by Penn State student intern Amber Starr, who wrote the body of the legislation, which she coined the "Target Discrimination Act." The legislation would require companies to investigate claims of workplace discrimination, including collecting statements from all parties involved, as well as using any relevant information in the investigation.
Starr, a senior at Penn State studying political science, wrote the act after experiencing sexual assault by a supervisor and being unable to receive help from company management or government agencies.
“Throughout this process, I was told that my story didn’t matter, and that overall, I didn’t matter. I stand here today in defiance of that notion. My story mattered, and so does yours – so join me over the course of however long this takes to ensure that the equity and equality that we demand in our workplace extends to even the worst of circumstances,” Starr said.
Conklin said that the proposed bill resonated with him because he’s seen the impacts of workplace violence toward female colleagues.
“It’s time that individuals who do this type [of misconduct] are held responsible,” Conklin said. “Just to dismiss an employee because they happen to stand up, because all they want to do is work, make enough money to be able to pay their bills. To have to quit or move on because somebody is sexually harassing them, someone is demeaning them, someone is making them feel less than human, it’s not what an employer should be able to do.”
To learn more about the pending legislation, people interested can read the co-sponsorship memo at: https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=49116.