Marriage Equality News

Today Delaware became the 11th state to approve a bill recognizing same sex marriage.  Governor Jack Markell is expected to sign the bill.

Pennsylvania seems intent on moving backward in this regard.  Today legislation was introduced that would begin to process to amend the state's constitution in opposition to same sex marriage.  Since the state has already limited marriage to one man and one woman a constitutional amendment serves no additional purpose.

Also today legislation was introduced to end anti-LGBT discrimination in the workplace, housing and places such as restaurants and hotel rooms.  The legislation was co-sponsored by 77 members of the state house and 25 senators.  Both the House and Senate Bills are numbered 300.  According to one press release:

A recent poll showed the bills have 72 percent support statewide, consistent with Pennsylvania polling results on the issue over the past decade. The poll was conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research, a firm with many Republican and business clients. Regional results of the poll are available at http://is.gd/hb300poll.

Sponsors of the House bill include: Reps. Frankel, Ross, Bishop, Bizzarro, B. Boyle, K. Boyle, Bradford, Briggs, R. Brown, V. Brown, Brownlee, Caltagirone, Carroll, Clay, Cohen, D. Costa, P. Costa, Cruz, M. Daley, P. Daley, Davis, Dean, DeLissio, DeLuca, Dermody, Donatucci, D. Evans, Fabrizio, Farina, Fleck, Flynn, Freeman, Gainey, Galloway, Gergely, Harkins, J. Harris, Kavulich, W. Keller, Kim, Kinsey, Kirkland, Mahoney, Markosek, McCarter, McGeehan, McNeill, Miranda, Molchany, Mullery, Mundy, Murt, Neilson, Neuman, O'Brien, Painter, Parker, Pashinski, Peifer, Ravenstahl, Readshaw, Roebuck, Rozzi, Sabatina, Samuelson, Santarsiero, Scavello, Schlossberg, Sims, Snyder, Sturla, Taylor, Thomas, Vitali, Waters, Wheatley and Youngblood.

Sponsors of the Senate bill include: Sens. Farnese, Browne, Ferlo, Washington, Stack, Teplitz, Fontana, Costa, Smith, Blake, Schwank, Williams, Wozniak, Hughes, Leach, Tartaglione, Dinniman, Kitchen, Wiley, Boscola, Yudichak, McIlhinney and Brewster.

Pittsburgh-based UPMC health care system announced public support for the bill.