Pa. Senate panel tables bill to ban gay marriage

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The latest effort to amend Pennsylvania’s constitution to effectively ban same-sex marriage is stalling.

The state Senate Judiciary Committee voted narrowly today to table the measure defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The senators didn’t utter a word of debate before or after gay-rights proponent Sen. Daylin Leach proposed to table the measure. The vote was 8-6.

Pennsylvania law already defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. But proponents of a constitutional amendment say a judge could overturn the law, even though Pennsylvania courts are not believed to be considering a challenge to that law.

The bill was sponsored by conservative Sen. John Eichelberger.

Opponents of the amendment say lesbians and gays deserve the same rights as straight Americans.