CockRing Casanova

 by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: May 5, 2008 - 5:00 pm ET

(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) A proposed constitutional amendment that would bar same-sex marriage and civil unions in Pennsylvania passed a key committee on Monday and is now headed for a full vote on the Senate floor.

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 18 - 8 to send the bill to the Senate. If it passes it would then need approval of the House and then a second round of approvals in the next session of the legislature.

The earliest it could be placed on the ballot would be in 2009.

Pennsylvania already limits marriage to opposite-sex couples but supporters of the amendment say a clear definition of marriage is needed in the constitution to prevent judges from striking down the law.

Following the committee vote LGBT rights groups and their supporters demonstrated inside the Capitol, shouting "Stop this bill."

"Pennsylvania’s constitution was never intended to be a tool that restricts people’s rights," state  Sen. Connie Williams (D) told the protestors.

"When the basic human rights are threatened then no one’s rights are safe," said Sen. VIncent Fumo (D). Both Fumo and Williams said they would vote against the measure when it comes before the Senate.

Rep. Dan Frankel (D) vowed a fight in the House.

"It takes a lot of chutzpah to talk about putting discrimination into the constitution of Pennsylvania," he told the protestors.

A recent poll found that although most Pennsylvanians oppose same-sex marriage there was widespread support civil unions.

The poll, conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research, found 65 percent of those questioned support civil unions while only 27 percent were opposed. (story)

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