Cal. Civ. Code § 957

The Commission shall have the following powers
and duties:
(a) To establish and maintain a central office in the City of Harrisburg.
(b) To meet and function at any place within the Commonwealth.
(c) To appoint such attorneys and permanent hearing examiners and other employes and agents
as it may deem necessary, fix their compensation within the limitations provided by
law, and prescribe their duties. Permanent hearing examiners shall perform no duties
inconsistent with their duties and responsibilities as permanent hearing examiners.
(c.1) To conduct mandatory training seminars on the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and
other applicable Federal and State law, procedures and rules for all investigative
personnel.
(c.2) To afford complainants and respondents the opportunity for comments after the final
disposition of a complaint. These comments shall be provided to the Commission members.
(c.3) To appoint attorneys to perform the following functions: (1) render legal advice to
Commission members on matters appearing before it; or (2) give legal assistance to
complainants appearing before the Commission or hearing examiners. These responsibilities
shall require a separate staff of attorneys to perform each function.
(d) To adopt, promulgate, amend and rescind rules and regulations to effectuate the policies
and provisions of this act.
(e) To formulate policies to effectuate the purposes of this act and make recommendations
to agencies and officers of the Commonwealth or political subdivisions of government
or board, department, commission or school district thereof to effectuate such policies.
(f) To initiate, receive, investigate and pass upon complaints charging unlawful discriminatory
practices.
(f.1) To investigate where no complaint has been filed but with the consent of at least
eight of the members of the Commission any problem of racial discrimination with the
intent of avoiding and preventing the development of racial tension.
(f.2) On request of the Governor, to investigate claims of excessive use of force by police
in civil rights protest activities.
(g) (1) To hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, administer oaths, take
testimony of any person under oath or affirmation and, in connection therewith, to
require the production for examination of any books and papers relating to any matter
under investigation where a complaint has been properly filed before the Commission.
The Commission may make rules as to the issuance of subpoenas by individual Commissioners.
In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person any court
of jurisdiction, upon application by the Commission, may issue to such person an order
requiring such person to appear before the Commission, there to produce documentary
evidence, if so ordered, or there to give evidence touching the matter in question,
and any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by said court as a
contempt thereof.
(2) No person shall be excused from attending and testifying, or from producing records,
correspondence, documents or other evidence in obedience to the subpoena of the Commission
or of any individual Commissioner, on the ground that the testimony or evidence required
of him may tend to incriminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture, but
no person shall be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on
account of any transaction, matter or thing concerning which he is compelled, after
having claimed his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or produce evidence,
except that such person so testifying shall not be exempt from prosecution and punishment
for perjury committed in so testifying. The immunity herein provided shall extend
only to natural persons so compelled to testify.
(h) To inspect upon request such records of the Commonwealth or any political subdivision,
board, department, commission or school district thereof as it may deem necessary
or advisable to carry into effect the provisions of this act.
(i) To create such advisory agencies and conciliation councils, local or state-wide, as
will aid in effectuating the purposes of this act. The Commission may itself or it
may empower these agencies and councils to (1) study the problems of discrimination
in all or specific fields of human relationships when based on race, color, familial
status, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin or handicap or disability,
and (2) foster, through community effort or otherwise, good will among the groups
and elements of the population of the State. Such agencies and councils may make recommendations
to the Commission for the development of policies and procedure in general. Advisory
agencies and conciliation councils created by the Commission shall be composed of
representative citizens, serving without pay, but the Commission may make provision
for technical and clerical assistance to such agencies and councils, and for the payment
of the expenses of such assistance.
(j) To issue such publications and such results of investigations and research as, in
its judgment, will tend to promote good will and minimize or eliminate discrimination
because of race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national
origin or handicap or disability.
(k) To submit an annual report for each fiscal year by the following March 31 to the General
Assembly, the Labor and Industry Committee of the Senate and the State Government
Committee of the House of Representatives and the Governor describing in detail the
types of complaints received, the investigations, status of cases, Commission action
which has been taken, how many were found to have probable cause, how many were resolved
by public hearing and the length of time from the initial complaint to final Commission
resolution. It shall also contain recommendations for such further legislation concerning
abuses and discrimination because of race, color, familial status, religious creed,
ancestry, national origin, age, sex, handicap or disability or the use of a guide
or support animal because of the blindness, deafness or physical handicap of the user
or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals, as may be
desirable.
(l) To prepare and distribute fair practices notices.
(n) To notify local human relations commissions of complaints received by the Pennsylvania
Human Relations Commission involving persons within a commission's jurisdiction. The
Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission may enter into work-sharing agreements with
those local commissions having comparable jurisdiction and enforcement authority.
(o) To prepare and publish all findings of fact, conclusions of the law, final decisions
and orders made after a public hearing by the hearing examiners, Commission panel
or full Commission.
(p) To give public access to the commission's compliance manual.
(q) To preserve opinions rendered by the Commission for five years from the date of publication.
(7 amended Dec. 20, 1991, P.L.414, No.51)
Compiler's Note: Section 508(a) of Act 223 of 1970 provided that section 7 is repealed insofar as it
relates to the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County.
Compiler's Note: Section 14(a) of Act 185 of 1969 provided that section 7 is repealed insofar as it
relates to the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County.