Kenyatta, Benham, Comitta reaffirm commitment for marriage equality in PA
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta August 14, 2025 | 3:37 PM
In response to the possibility of the U.S. Supreme Court’s consideration to take up a case that asks, in plain words, to overturn the 10-year-old landmark ruling Obergefell v. Hodges that allowed recognition of same-sex marriages nationwide, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta introduced H.B. 1800 – the Marriage Equality Act.
Kenyatta said legislation to protect marriage equality in imperative in Pennsylvania – now more than ever:
“Marriage equality is the law of the land and PA should clean up our statues to match that. The current review of Obergfell v. Hodges makes it clear that the freedom to marry is under attack – this is something I’ve warned about as have other advocates and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We passed this legislation in the House last session with bipartisan support, but the state Senate never considered it for a vote. We must continue this work to protect all marriages across Pennsylvania.”
State Rep. Jessica Benham, co-chair of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, supports Kenyatta’s legislation, stating:
“While extremists in Congress and on the Supreme Court threaten to drag this country backwards by undermining marriage equality, my colleagues and I are fighting back. That’s why we’ve introduced legislation to protect same-sex marriage here in our state, because we deserve the freedom to marry without fear, no matter what happens in Washington.”
State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, who introduced a companion marriage equality bill in the Senate, S.B. 434, said the following:
“This Supreme Court has proven that we cannot rely on the courts to fix the flaws in our laws, and we need to take legislative action that protects and defends our basic rights and freedoms.
“As we see new efforts to overturn marriage equality for same-sex couples through the court system, our legislation is needed now more than ever to protect marriage rights and demonstrate that Pennsylvania is a welcoming and caring home for all.”