HARRISBURG, Pa.—An expansion of Pennsylvania’s hate-crimes law to cover gays and the disabled has been nullified by a state court, which found that the Pennsylvania Legislature unlawfully used an agricultural-crime bill to make the changes.

The court’s 4-1 ruling Nov. 15 handed a victory to a conservative Christian group called Repent America, which filed a lawsuit in 2005 challenging the amendment of the state hate-crimes law three years earlier.

Repent America founder and leader Michael Marcavage was among the organization’s members who were arrested in the fall of 2004 for picketing a Philadelphia street festival for gays and lesbians.

Gov. Ed Rendell said in a statement that the bill passed with bipartisan support and urged lawmakers to immediately approve “appropriate legislation” reinstating the measure.