PENNSYLVANIA, November 2 - WHEREAS, Mr. Ferlo championed legislation to preserve

Pennsylvania's natural environment, enshrine workers' rights,

ensure the right to housing, provide universal health care to

all and reenact Pennsylvania's hate crime statute for the LGBTQ

community; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ferlo announced he was gay at a 2014 press

conference on increasing protections for the LGBTQ community

under Pennsylvania's hate crime statute, becoming the first

openly gay State Senator in Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ferlo served on the Board of Directors of the

American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania from 2015 to

2021, and he also served numerous organizations, including the

Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny River

Towns Enterprise Zone, the Port of Pittsburgh Commission,

Preservation Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and

Museum Commission; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ferlo is survived by his sisters, Lyn Ferlo,

Carol Ferlo and Patricia (Ferlo) Thron and her husband, Jim, and

by his brothers, Thomas Ferlo and his wife, Pat, and Leo Ferlo,

as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews

and friends whom he adopted into his family; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate honor the life and achievements of

former State Senator Jim Ferlo.

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