Pennsylvania Senate Committee Takes Up Gay Marriage Ban Bill and Tables It

A key Pennsylvania Senate committee will take up the issue of gay marriage today.

UPDATE: The bill before the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee has stalled, the AP reports.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider Senator John H. Eichelberger, Jr’s joint resolution that aims to define marriage as a heterosexual union in the state constitution, effectively outlawing gay marriage and blocking the state Supreme Court from legalizing the institution.

“Pennsylvania voters have the opportunity to decide how they want marriage to be defined and not allow an activist judge to make that decision for them,” the Republican senator said in a statement. “Thirty one other states have already gone through a similar process and in each state, the definition of marriage was upheld.”

The resolution would insert the following language into the state constitution: “Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid and recognized as a marriage in this Commonwealth.”

[ via On Top Magazine ]