Today, history was made when the Senate Judiciary Committee tabled PA SB 707 so that it was essentially killed. Daylin Leach, one of (if not the biggest of) the LGBT community’s biggest supporters in the senate, has written a follow up about how it all went down, so I encourage you to check out.
There is one major task left in regards to this bill. We need to say thank-you to those senators who voted to table the bill, and keep the PA Constitution free from discrimination. Here are the Senators we need to thank:
Mary Jo White (voted with us for the first time) (814) 432-4345 or (717) 787-9684
Lisa Boscola (voted with us for the first time) (610) 868-8667 or (717) 787-4236
Daylin Leach (610) 768-4200 or (717) 787-5544
Michael Stack (215) 281-2539 or (717) 787-9608
Wayne Fontana (412) 344-2551 or (717) 787-5300
Jay Costa (412) 241-6690 or (717) 787-7683
Jane Earll (814) 453-2515 or (717) 787-8927
Pat Browne (610) 821-8468 or (717) 787-1349
Thank you’s go a very long way, so if you just take a few minutes and call each of these Senators, you will have done a huge thing in helping us move civil rights for the LGBTQ community forward. The more bridges we build, and good will we generate by showing our appreciation, the easier it can be for future bills.
Lastly, thank yourself, and others like you who took the time to follow what was happening with this bill, and take action by writing letters, sending emails, or calling members of the Senate.
While we are looking at the end of this bill, we could also see this as a beginning. We (the collective of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and straight) demonstrated a greater amount of issue advocacy and engagement than we have seen in a long time! We can use this success and build upon it! We have two bills in the House that need our attention. House Bill 300, a non-discrimination bill , and House Bill 745, a hate crimes legislation. Let’s use the momentum we have built, and get to work on HB 300.
- Today: Celebrate this win!
- Tomorrow: Rest
- Day After Tomorrow: Get busy on HB 300
I'll pass it along! THX!
Fantastic post, Thomas. I was thinking of calling and saying something like the following. Do you think they would listen, considering that I'm not in PA?
“Please thank Senator White for me. I am straight and I don't live in Pennsylvania, but I believe that this vote will affect the whole country. When we choose to hate someone who has done nothing to us and who is harming no one, it lessens all of us. Standing against discrimination lifts all of us up. This was the first time Senator White voted with us, so I know that it must have been a difficult decision that cost her no small amount of political capital. Please let her know that she has my gratitude, along with the gratitude of millions of people across the country, straight or otherwise.”
Please give these State Senators our thanks for killing the anti-gay family ammendment.
Thanks for your comment Mark!
Thanks for all of your work and good advocacy coaching, Tom!
You are very welcome! It is humbling and awesome to see how my work is turning into action by others, and having great results through the growing efforts.