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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 23, 2013 04:16 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Mark B. Cohen |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Reintroduction of HB 708 – Civil Unions |
| Your co-sponsorship is requested of legislation that would create civil unions. This bill would define a civil union as a union between two members of the same sex. It would make all state laws applicable to marriage also applicable to a civil union. The bill would also provide for reciprocity of civil unions performed legally in other states and the recognition of same sex marriage in other states as civil unions in Pennsylvania. Civil unions represent the middle-of-the-road compromise position between constitutionally banning and permitting gay marriages and have been embraced by both advocates for LGBT rights and a growing number of conservatives. Nothing in this bill would require any religion or any clergyman to perform any ceremony uniting people in a civil union. This legislation will merely offer committed gay couples the same legal rights that are bestowed upon married people without the status of marriage. The bill is similar to HB 708 of the previous session, with a change providing for reciprocity of civil unions or other similar legal relationships recognized in other states, and recognizing same sex marriage in other states as civil unions in Pennsylvania. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Seidl at kseidl@pahouse.net or 787-4117. Previous co-sponsors include: GERBER, K. BOYLE, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, V. BROWN, BROWNLEE, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, P. COSTA, CURRY, DAVIS, DELISSIO, DePASQUALE, D. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FRANKEL, GERGELY, JOHNSON, JOSEPHS, MANN, McGEEHAN, MUNDY, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, PARKER, PASHINSKI, PAYTON, PRESTON, ROEBUCK, SANTARSIERO, SANTONI, SHAPIRO, K. SMITH, STURLA, THOMAS, VITALI, WAGNER, WHEATLEY, WILLIAMS AND YOUNGBLOOD. Thank you. |
Introduced as HB1178