The Pennsylvania State Senate Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to table Senate Bill 707, blocking a proposed bill aimed at amending the Pennsylvania Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
The vote is being seen as a victory among the LGBT community and allied politicians.
"One small victory adds up to larger victories," said State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Delaware/Montgomery.
Senate Bill 707 is one of two competing bills concerning same-sex marriage in the state, Leach said.
The first bill, Senate Bill 935, was introduced by Leach in June 2009 and called for full equal marriage rights. Senate Bill 707, a proposed amendment that would have defined marriage between "one man and one woman," was introduced by Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair, in February. Tuesday's vote defeated the legislation with a majority of 8-6 within the committee, Leach said.
"It's a crack in the wall of discrimination," Leach said. "It's important to remember the historic nature of this. People are increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of legalized discrimination."
Two years ago, the State Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of a more restrictive bill by a 10-4 majority, Leach said. In a bipartisan effort, five Democrats and three Republicans voted to oppose Senate Bill 707, including three senators who changed their minds from their previous votes in 2008.
"Why should I try to deny someone else the right to live their life as they see fit?" Leach said.
The state Senate vote took place the same day Penn State's Interfraternity Council voted to recognize Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive men.
Though Michael Hong (senior-marketing) was initially unaware of Senate Bill 707, the former president and current member of Delta Lambda Phi said the Senate's move might help bring equal rights to Pennsylvania -- and maybe even same-sex marriage. And for Mark Gardner, a graduate assistant working with LGBTA Student Resource Center, the defeat of Senate Bill 707 was a surprise and a small victory.
"Our state Senate is realizing that equality for all is necessary," Gardner said. "But we still have a long way to go."
