Philly State Reps to Introduce PA Marriage Equality Act

Representatives Brian Sims and Steve McCarter are making good on their promise to introduce a bill in the state House of Representatives that could make marriage equality the law of this here land, and they’re using Philly’s Love Park as the jumping-off point. Fitting, huh?

HB 1686 (aka the Pennsylvania Marriage Equality Act) will be announced at a public conference tomorrow morning (Oct. 3) at 10 a.m. in Love Park’s John F. Kennedy Plaza (16th Street and JFK Boulevard).

This bill will be a major player alongside several lawsuits that are currently challenging Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage, including the announcement this week that Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes will appeal a recent court order  to stop his issuance of marriage certificates to gay couples. Another one to look out for is Palladino v. Corbett. Philly Mag’s Joel Mathis explains why:

Palladino v. Corbett … challenges the state’s refusal to recognize a gay marriage that was performed in Massachusetts. If the plaintiffs win in federal court, Culhane writes, a bunch of dominoes will fall: “If Palladino and Barker win, and Pennsylvania has to recognize their marriage, the state still won’t have to authorize its own same-sex weddings. But that will soon become a distinction without a difference. Pennsylvania couples can plan their destination weddings in all of New England, New York, Delaware, Maryland, and D.C.—and head home knowing that their marriages are also legal and binding in the state of Pennsylvania. And once this strategy catches on around the country, we’ll have gay couples living with the same rights and protections as straight couples everywhere—even if some states continue to pretend otherwise.”

Stay tuned to G Philly for coverage of tomorrow’s event, plus any updates surrounding the other cases.

Stay abreast of Philly LGBT news and entertainment via our weekly newsletter. Sign up here.