Tuesday AM. The Pennsylvania House Committtee on State Government was scheduled to vote on HB 1434 which started the ball rolling on a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage. etc etc etc.
Today, that ball didn’t go anywhere. Again.
Debate on the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions was put off until a dateTBD. The panel’s chairman, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, cited the large number of amendments attached the bill (coupled with what’s expected to be a busy day on VoterID) as the reason for the delay.
One suspects that timing may have only been part of the panel’s reason for delaying action.
Civil rights and gay and lesbian advocates packed the room, clearing expecting some fireworks. A House security guard was also stationed outside the door of the meeting room.
Good job to advocates everywhere. Special word of thanks House Democrat Babette Josephs who serves on the committee and challenged Metcalfe on his motives and agenda when the state clearly has a lot of real issues to deal with, right? Like the Voter ID Bill.
If you need a good eye roll, follow the link (that ball didn’t) and see what the committee did approve this morning. Holy Smokes.
It is a very good thing to have this bill not actively in consideration. So many of our sisters and brothers around the nation are struggling with the realities of these amendments that its simply a relief. This was a particularly vicious version – it would potentially strip any local government of the ability to offer domestic partner benefits. I think Metcalfe has a very defined agenda on eroding local and federal control of his state and it starts with his gun control bill stripping municipalities of putting any further restrictions on gun control than the state. But more on that later.
For now, enjoy the reprieve. It was heartening to see so many tweets and so forth. Just don’t lose a bit of your wariness, okay?
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