Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) has appointed a former Republican lawmaker with a long history of opposing transgender rights and stifling civil rights enforcement to the state commission charged with protecting Pennsylvanians from discrimination.
Former state Rep. Seth Grove, who represented parts of York County in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for 17 years, is among seven new members of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. The agency investigates discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and enforces Pennsylvania’s Human Relations Act.
Mr. Grove is scheduled to be sworn in on Monday.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office defends appointment
His appointment puts the former lawmaker, who has repeatedly supported restrictions on transgender people, in charge of reviewing complaints of discrimination within the facility. Pennsylvania law requires partisan balance on the commission, and Shapiro’s office defended the appointment.
“Pennsylvania’s Human Relations Act legally requires no more than six committee members to belong to the same political party,” Rosie Rapowski, a spokeswoman for Shapiro, said in a statement. defender. “Nominees are nominated by the Governor but must receive a majority vote in the Senate for confirmation, so appointments to the PHRC are a collaborative effort between the Governor’s Office and the Senate. Governor Shapiro remains committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of all LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians.”
The statement did not answer why Mr. Shapiro, who is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, specifically chose Mr. Grove, whether the governor’s office has reviewed Mr. Grove’s record on enforcing transgender rights and civil rights, or whether Mr. Grove has given any assurances that he will support the commission’s existing protections for LGBTQ+ people.
The Shapiro administration cited the governor’s participation in a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s restrictions on gender-affirming care, his support for efforts to limit federal subpoenas for transgender patients’ medical records, and his directive that Pennsylvania’s 988 crisis centers be trained to provide tailored support to LGBTQ+ clients.
The administration also noted that Shapiro urged lawmakers to pass the Fairness Act, advocated for expanding Pennsylvania’s hate crimes law, challenged the first Trump administration’s ban on transgender military service as attorney general, and supported a transgender student in Virginia who filed a lawsuit seeking access to gender-appropriate school bathrooms. He also noted that Shapiro supported marriage equality while serving as a Montgomery County commissioner.
defender Mr. Grove was also contacted for comment. An automated response from his email account indicated that he was traveling and away from the office.
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Grove’s anti-transgender record
Grove’s record includes attempts to restrict medical care for transgender Pennsylvanians.
In 2017, we sponsored House Bill of 1933which would have prohibited Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program and Children’s Health Insurance Program from covering transition-related services, including surgery. The bill did not become law.
Sponsored by Globe in 2025 House Bill 581the Parents’ Rights in Education Act limits classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity, requires parents to be notified about certain student health services, and allows families to sue school districts for alleged violations.
LGBTQ+ advocates compared the proposal to Florida’s “Don’t Say I’m Gay” law and warned that its notification provisions could expose LGBTQ+ students to their families without their consent.
Mr. Grove also served as chairman of the House State Government Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Fairness Act. This bill would explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity to Pennsylvania’s statewide anti-discrimination laws. Mr. Grove did not bring it to a vote.
Grove also challenged the commission’s authority to protect LGBTQ+ people. in May 2022 letter She asked the Independent Regulatory Review Commission to reject the PHRC rule, which defines sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Grove argued that the agency is trying to “stretch the law through regulation” and circumvent the General Assembly. He will now help oversee the commission’s efforts to limit its powers.
Pennsylvania’s human relations law does not explicitly address sexual orientation or gender identity. The Commission instead interpreted the law’s prohibition on sex discrimination to include both categories.
This makes the composition of the commission particularly important for LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians, as the commission is more than just an advisory body. We investigate complaints, set policies, and help determine whether discrimination has occurred.
Jim Shepherd, a former member of Pittsburgh’s Local Human Relations Commission, expressed concerns about Grove’s appointment at a July 16 meeting. Explanation This article is from QBurgh, a local LGBTQ+ news outlet.
“Appointments to independent committees should inspire confidence that the members will faithfully carry out the mission of the agencies they oversee,” Shepherd wrote. “However, in Grove’s case, his legislative history raises serious questions about whether he is the right person to lead Pennsylvania’s top civil rights office.”
Shepherd also cited Grove’s opposition to local LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination protections and gender-neutral language for parents on birth certificates.
Efforts to weaken civil rights enforcement
Mr. Grove has repeatedly introduced legislation that would significantly change the civil rights enforcement system he currently oversees.
In 2023, Mr. Grove introduced House Bill 1435. It would change how discrimination complaints are handled, create a reimbursement process for certain claims, and repeal provisions that gave authority to local human relations commissions.
He reintroduced a similar proposal in 2025 as House Bill 245, which would have allowed compensation to respondents in cases labeled “unfair claims” and prohibited the establishment of local human relations commissions.
Grove promoted the 2025 proposal in a legislative memo titled “Improving the Business Environment—DOGE Style.”
Neither measure is making progress.
Local human relations commissions can provide another avenue for people seeking protection from discrimination, especially in local governments that have more explicit LGBTQ-inclusive ordinances than state law.
Civil Rights Commission under reconstruction
PHRC announced Mr Grove will be appointed on July 14 as part of a larger calendar of seven new commissioners.
The agency announced that Grove has been appointed president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association. There were no details about his legislative background or an explanation of why Mr. Shapiro chose him.
The commission said the new members will bring expertise aimed at promoting “accountability, equity, service to Pennsylvanians, and system improvement.”
“The work of the PHRC relies on strong, principled leadership that is committed to equity and accountability,” interim chair Curtis Jones Jr. said in the announcement. “I look forward to working with these new commissioners to strengthen the PHRC and ensure all Pennsylvanians receive the fair treatment they deserve.”
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
