A drive is under way to let Pennsylvania voters decide on a traditional marriage amendment.
The bill, introduced by State Senator John Eichelberger, failed to pass twice before, but he believes this third effort has public support. "Seventy percent currently would like to see this on the ballot. They don't want the court to make the decision," the senator explains. "In fact, I think that once people understand the process, that number will increase. Secondly, 51 percent of the people in the most recent poll would like to vote for a marriage protection amendment." Pennsylvania law already defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Eichelberger told Associated Press that writing the definition into the constitution would prevent a judge from overturning the law -- something that has happened in other states previously. The proposed constitutional amendment is supported by a number of organizations, some religious, some not. "I'm personally approaching this from a policy-making perspective that this is the best thing as a fundamental building block of our society: the family in America," the state lawmaker explains. He believes homosexual "marriage" would further erode the institution of marriage and lead to polygamy and pedophilia. Eichelberg says statistics show the breakdown of the family and devaluation of traditional marriage increases violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, and child molestation. Constitutional amendments in Pennsylvania require approval from both the House and the Senate in two consecutive two-year sessions before the measure can appear on a statewide ballot for voters to decide.
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