Pa. Marriage Equality Bill to be Co-Sponsored by Santarsiero

Newtown’s state representative will co-sponsor legislation that would make same-sex marriage legal in Pennsylvania.

State Rep. Steve Santarsiero, a Democrat representing the 31st district, announced Monday that he will co-sponsor the Marriage Equality Bill, introduced by Reps. Brian Sims, D-Phila., and Steve McCarter, D-Montgomery/Phila. 

“The hallmark of our democracy in the United States is the protection of equal rights for all,” Santarsiero said. “This legislation is another step in making Pennsylvania and this country truly equal for all.”

According to a statement from Santarsiero, the bill mirrors Senate Bill 719, which was introduced by Montgomery County State Senator Daylin Leach earlier this year.

The bill would eliminate the prohibition of same-sex marriages in Pennsylvania. “Religious organizations and entities that do not wish to sanction, perform, or in any way recognize such marriages would be protected under the legislation,” a statement from Santarsiero said.

 “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in the House on this important legislation,” said Santarsiero. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

Sims, the first openly gay member to be elected to the Pennsylvania legislature, and McCarter announced last week they planned to introduce a same-sex marriage bill after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in a landmark 5-4 decision.

The federal Defense of Marriage Act prohibited same-sex couples legally married in their states from sharing in each other’s federal marriage benefits. 

Currently, 13 states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriages.

According to a report on Abington Patch, Sims said he believes “more and more legislators from both parties will decide to be on the right side of history.”

But the issue is still contentious in Harrisburg. Last week, Pennsylvania legislator Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) blocked Sims’ comments on DOMA on the House floor through a procedural maneuver.

“I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, open rebellion against God’s law," Metcalfe said, according to the Huffington Post.

Sims said he had not planned to criticize gay marriage detractors in his speech.

"I wasn't planning on chastising anybody. I was planning on discussing how far we have to come in Pennsylvania or that we really have no civil rights in Pennsylvania,” said Sims, according to Newsworks.