Discrimination by Insurance Licensees

KANE, Attorney General,

A question has arisen regarding whether the Pennsylvania Insurance Department can refuse to issue or renew licenses to, and revoke or suspend licenses of licensees who discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex or national origin in their employment policies. The department has also asked whether it can adopt a regulation prohibiting discrimination by its licensees and setting forth the penalties for violations of such a regulation. It is our opinion, and you are hereby advised, that the answer to both these questions is yes.

The public interest has…