PA Marriage Protection Amendment

Pennsylvania still lacks a Marriage Protection Amendment. Our Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) could be overturned by a court order even as Iowa’s was recently. Since HB 1434 was introduced by Representative Daryl Metcalfe on May 2nd, New York has legalized so-called same sex marriage, the New Jersey legislature passed and Governor Christie vetoed a same-sex "marriage" bill. On March 1st Maryland Governor O'Malley signed a bill into law legalizing same-sex "marriage" beginning next year. Pennsylvania is in a perilous position and is unprotected if two Pennsylvania homosexuals cross state lines to get "married" then come back here to challenge our Defense of Marriage Act. The case would end up in the courts and the outcome is uncertain. We cannot take that chance with the basic building block of society! In fact, homosexuals can currently travel anywhere same-sex "marriage" is legal, get married, come back to PA and challenge our DOMA. A lawsuit challenging DOMA would ensue and the matter would end up in the hands of the PA Supreme Court. Can they be trusted to make the right decision?

H.B. 1434, Pennsylvania's Marriage Protection Amendment. Here's the language: “Marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.”

This language is modeled after Florida's Marriage Protection Amendment which was approved by over 60% of Florida voters in 2008 and was unanimously upheld as constitutional by the Florida Supreme Court when challenged by the ACLU.

This strong two part amendment is necessary because it is not enough to simply preserve the word "marriage," which is what a one sentence amendment does, but we must preserve the institution of marriage by prohibiting the state from permitting civil unions which gives all the rights and privileges of marriage to homosexual couples. Already this year two states, Illinois and Delaware, which have marriage laws defining marriage as between one man and one woman have legalized civil unions for homosexuals. States such as Oregon which has passed a weak one sentence amendment has legalized civil unions also!

To help get the attention of our state legislators about the need for this strong Marriage Protection Amendment, please sign our online petition. This is not a 'legal petition,' but simply an 'opinion petition' meaning that it will be used to let state legislators know that citizens in Pennsylvania see the need for a Marriage Protection Amendment. This method is being used because our Constitution does not permit 'petition and referendum,' thus we cannot have a 'legal petition' to force a constitutional amendment onto the ballot. The names/addresses of those who sign will be delivered to their respective State Senator and State Representative.

According to Article XI of Pennsylvania's Constitution an amendment to the Constitution can be introduced in either the House or Senate and passed in both chambers by a simple majority. The same amendment language must be introduced and passed in the following session and then the amendment goes to the people for a vote. A simple majority vote of the people will protect marriage between one man and one woman through a constitutional amendment.

(Remember if you do not want your name to appear on our webpage, then check the box beside "Do not display name on website.")

xxxxxxxx, No

xxxxxxxx, Yes

Mrs Thea Feliciano, Yes

Emily Wilkerson, Yes

Yvonne Kelly, No

Rebecca Murdock, Yes

Zachary Freeman, No

xxxxxxxx, No

xxxxxxxx, Yes

xxxxxxxx, No