PENNSYLVANIA: Sims And McCarter To Introduce Marriage Equality Bill Today

Back in late June, openly gay Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims announced his plan to introduce a marriage equality bill. That happens today.

State Reps. Brian Sims and Steve McCarter, both Philadelphia Democrats, will announce the introduction of the Pennsylvania Marriage Equality Act during a news conference today at 10 a.m. in LOVE Park. Despite staunch opposition from Gov. Corbett and conservatives, the legislators said they are encouraged by recent action in the state, and that more than 30 lawmakers have signed on to the bill as co-sponsors. "It was really in June when Rep. McCarter and I, who've been talking about this for a while, took the lay of the land and found our colleagues were ready to support this issue," Sims said. "We've been seeing this growing support, so it's the right time."

Today's action happens as two separate marriage equality lawsuits, one brought by the ACLU, the other by Montgomery County Clerk Bruce Hanes, head for the state Supreme Court. The Sims/McCarter bill will be Pennsylvania HB 1686.