An Act amending the act of October 27, 1955 (P.L.744, No.222), known as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, further providing for procedure; providing for reimbursement against wrongful claims; further providing for construction and exclusiveness of remedy; repealing provisions relating to local human relations commissions; and prohibiting local human relations commissions.

HB 245 amends Pennsylvania's Human Relations Act to streamline complaint procedures and eliminate local human relations commissions. It shortens response deadlines for employers (from 30 to 20 days), adds a provision allowing defendants to seek reimbursement for attorney fees if claims are dismissed, and explicitly prohibits local commissions from operating. The bill directly affects employers, employees filing discrimination complaints, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), which now handles all enforcement. Key changes include replacing local commission authority with centralized PHRC oversight and clarifying that only "disparate treatment" claims - proven by a pattern of discriminatory decisions - can be filed under the law.