Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, Jr., a Democrat, on Thursday announced that he will co-sponsor the Equality Act.

Casey becomes the 42nd senator to co-sponsor the legislation.

Introduced last year, the Equality Act seeks to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in seven key areas, including credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service and public accommodations, by effectively expanding the Civil Rights Act, originally approved in 1964.

The proposal has not advanced since its introduction last year.

“Despite the Supreme Court's decision in favor of marriage equality in June of 2015, it’s still legal under federal law and in many states, including Pennsylvania, to fire someone, or deny them access to public accommodations because they’re gay or transgender,” Casey said in a press release. “Just recently states like North Carolina and Mississippi have enacted laws that are nothing more than state sponsored discrimination. Much of the discussion around these laws has centered on public restrooms. These laws are about much more that: they are a license to discriminate in all aspects of our society like the workplace and in housing. These laws are contrary to the values of our nation and make clear the need for the Equality Act.”

The bill has 175 co-sponsors in the House.