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MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Why should we allow for domestic partnerships?

Currently, Pennsylvania law does not provide for any kind of partnership benefits for unmarried heterosexual or same-sex couples. The proposed language for a limited domestic partnership bill would establish a statewide partnership registry for unmarried couples that would grant several essential rights relating to healthcare and end of life decision-making.

• The bill would apply equally to heterosexual and same-sex unmarried couples.
• The bill includes sufficient hurdles to prevent “partnerships of convenience”.

Same-sex couples are not the only people affected by domestic partnership legislation

• Senior citizens and other Pennsylvanians not entering into the legal framework of marriage will benefit from expanded domestic partnership rights and responsibilities

The bill will include a waiting period of six months

• Individuals who leave one partnership and want to enter a new one will have to wait at least six months
• Perhaps even a requirement of notice

Domestic partnerships are only recognized within the state in which they were entered

• Unlike heterosexual marriage—which is protected by the Full Faith and Credit clause of the U.S. constitution—domestic partnerships in one state are not recognized by another.

Same-sex couples living in California, the District of Columbia, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state can take advantage of broad domestic partner laws

• Like civil unions, the will offer access to the state-level rights and responsibilities of marriage
• Domestic Partnership is NOT marriage.

What would domestic partnership laws look like?

Rights conferred by domestic partnership registration:

• Hospital/nursing home visitation
  
• Access to medical records
  
• Ability to consent to medical treatment on behalf of an incapacitated partner (durable medical power of attorney)
  
• Ability to access medical leave benefits to care for domestic partners and their children.
  
• Limited inheritance/financial power of attorney rights upon the death of one partner (ability to execute the partner’s estate if no other executor was appointed)
  
• Ability to make decisions concerning organ donation and funeral arrangements upon the death of one partner
  

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Talking Points on Marriage Amendment

Marriage Equality

Marriage is a commitment. It is about creating a family. It is also about rights and responsibilities. Marriage is about sharing, love, trust and compromise. Two adults who make this personal decision to form a life-long commitment should not be denied the right to marry the person they want to marry just because they are gay or lesbian.

Gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians are our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. They pay taxes and serve our communities. They raise children and volunteer with civic organizations. They simply desire the same rights, responsibilities and protections as all other Pennsylvanians.

Denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry will adversely impact their legal rights in pension, health insurance, hospital visitations, and inheritance that heterosexual couples enjoy.

Today we look back with disbelief that there was a time in American when we did not allow marriage between Catholics and Protestants or between blacks and whites. Unfortunately our laws continue to deny the right to marry to adults who are gay or lesbian. We should not support this kind of discrimination.

People are not being asked to change their religious beliefs and nobody is trying to force any clergy person to perform same-sex weddings. There are many things about modern society that some religious organizations do not endorse. Yet, as a society we are governed by laws and not by religious beliefs.

Pennsylvania Marriage Amendment

Same-sex couples are already denied the right to marry in Pennsylvania. This amendment is unnecessary, unwise and divisive.

With all of the problems that the Pennsylvania House of Representative should be addressing, it is disturbing that some of the members would spend time and resources to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to make a pronouncement about marriage.

The proposed amendment could take away existing legal protection, under local laws, for committed long-term couples and their children, such as hospital visitation rights, inheritance rights, pension benefits and health insurance coverage among others.

The Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment

This amendment is unnecessary, unwise and divisive.

• Same-sex couples are already denied the right to marry in Pennsylvania
• With all the other problems facing Pennsylvania today it is surprising that some legislators wish to spend time and resources making unnecessary pronouncements about marriage
• The amendment would take away existing legal protections for committed long-term couples and their children

The amendment would also prohibit any sort other types of relationship regulation or the recognition of civil unions.

• According to recent polling data, 65% of Pennsylvanians statewide support civil unions for gays and lesbians
• Comparably, only 27% (less than half as much) of Pennsylvanians are against such unions

Amending the Pennsylvania constitution in the manner proposed by the ‘Marriage Protection Act’ will explicitly promote discrimination and inequality.

• Explicitly promoting discrimination is not the purpose of the Pennsylvania State Constitution

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Marriage Equality

Gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians are our neighbors, co-workers, and friends

• They pay taxes and serve our communities
• They raise children and volunteer with civic organizations
• They desire the same rights, responsibilities and protections all other Pennsylvanians desire and have

Denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry will adversely impact their legal rights to

• Pensions, health insurance, hospital visitations and inheritance
• All of which heterosexual couples already have guaranteed

Today we look back with disbelief that there was a time in America when we did not allow marriage between Catholics and Protestants or between blacks and whites. The Marriage Protection Act would deny the right of marriage to adults who are gay or lesbian. We should not support this kind of discrimination.

People are not being asked to change their religious or personal beliefs.

• Clergy are not being forced to perform same-sex weddings
• There are many current laws that are not endorsed by some religious groups
• But our government’s laws are not based on religious beliefs, but instead upon a more inclusive sense of right and wrong