PA State Representative Daryl Metcalfe to Reintroduce Gay Marriage Ban

By Sheryl Rentz on December 26, 2012

According to an On Top Magazine report, Pennsylvania State Representative Daryl Metcalfe recently announced that he will reintroduce a resolution that aims to ban gay marriage in the state. Presently, state law prevents same-sex marriage, as do laws in 30 others U.S. states, though there are a number of states that do allow gays to marry or are in the process of changing their laws, indicating a significant political shift in the country. However, Metcalfe states that it is important to “support traditional marriage” and the proposed amendment would eliminate confusion as to what constitutes a legal marriage in Pennsylvania.

Gay rights advocacy group Equality Pennsylvania, which attended the committee hearing with staunch supporters, vowed to “stop Daryl Metcalfe in the new year.”

The federal Defense Against Marriage Act (DOMA) does define who can marry in the U.S., but it does contain a provision that makes it unclear whether the Act applies from state to state. Though the right for same-sex couples to marry is up to the state and its voters to decide, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in two cases that bring gay marriage to the forefront. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the cases after the New Year and provide rulings sometime in the spring of 2013.

As such, the Pennsylvania laws regarding this issue may change depending on the outcome of these cases in the High Court. The state of PA does define marriage between a man and a woman, but there is currently no constitutional amendment in place to prohibit same-sex marriage.

With the issue of marriage equality still being contested and debated across the country, it may be difficult for those in a domestic partnership to understand their rights both in the present and in the future. Domestic partnership attorney Sheryl R. Rentz aims to provide same-sex couples who may be in the process of a split understand their legal rights and help them establish a favorable settlement in regards to shared assets and property.

To discuss your case with Ms. Rentz, schedule a complimentary consultation by calling (610) 645-0100.