Pa. advocates keep eyes on key gay marriage case

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Federal court decisions to overturn bans on same-sex marriage in two conservative states may not have an immediate effect in Pennsylvania, the only northeastern state that does not recognize gay marriages.

Rather, Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims said today that the gay rights community is keeping its eyes trained on a scheduled federal court trial in Harrisburg. The high-profile case was filed six months ago and represents the first known challenge to a 1996 Pennsylvania law that bans recognition of same-sex marriages.

“The communities working on marriage equality in Pennsylvania ... are really paying close attention to June 9,” said Sims, a leading gay rights advocate.

About a half-dozen other cases challenging aspects of the state’s ban have been filed since and are pending in county, state and federal courts.

Still, a federal court decision in Oklahoma on Tuesday and one in Utah on Dec. 20, resulting in those states’ bans being struck down, is cheering Pennsylvania gay marriage advocates.

“We’re talking about the Bible Belt here,” Sims said. “It’s one thing when California and New York come out in favor of marriage equality.”

Lawyer Witold J. Walczak of the American Civil Liberties Union says the case’s legal team is planning on going to trial and has no plans to seek an emergency ruling to strike down Pennsylvania’s law, citing decisions in Oklahoma and Utah.