Gay-Marriage Bills Stalled in Pennsylvania
Last year, legislators in Albany legalized gay marriage in New York state.
Last month, legislators in Trenton passed a similar bill before Gov. Christie vetoed it.
Two weeks ago, as onlookers’ cheers filled the marble halls of the State House in Annapolis, Gov. Martin O’Malley signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, and handed the pen to Maryland’s first openly gay legislator.
In Pennsylvania, where Republicans’ grip on the General Assembly is strong and upstate social conservatism stronger, a victory for gay rights these days consists of stopping a scheduled committee vote - on a bill stipulating that the only valid marriage in the state is a union of a man and a woman.
That little win, which occurred Tuesday, shows Pennsylvania is increasingly out of step with neighboring states, and out of touch with rising public support for same-sex couples’ rights, said Ted Martin of Equality PA, a coalition of gay-rights groups.