HARRISBURG -- Pennsylvania lawmakers are poised to make history when voting is held on a controversial bill that would extend anti-discrimination rights to include sexual orientation.

House Bill 300 narrowly passed the House State Government Committee last month and will soon be voted on by the House of Representatives.

The bill would extend the same rights that currently protect people of different races, religions and abilities to people with different sexual orientations in relation to getting and keeping a job.

"I'm here to tell you and my colleagues that the sky will not fall -- the world will not end -- if we stop discriminating against gay, lesbian, transgender and bi-sexual people. It will not happen," said Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, sponsor of House Bill 300.

Similar rules have been written into law in 20 other states.

Critics argue the way the bill is written could limit the freedoms of some religious groups.

"A religion teacher in a Catholic school or in any faith-based school, you believe that that organization ought to be able to hire people who agree with the doctrine they are teaching," said Rep. Glen Grell, R-Cumberland County.

Fourteen municipalities across the state, including Pittsburgh, currently have laws in place against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

House Bill 300 would make the policy consistent statewide.