Sunday, September 1, 2002
Pennsylvania courts strikes down city ordinance on same-sex law
A story released today by the Associated Press reports that a Pennsylvania state court Thursday struck down a 1998 Philadelphia city ordinance that recognized same-sex ``life partnerships,'' saying the law usurped the power of the state to regulate marriage.
The law had amended the definition of the term ``marital status'' to include ``life partner,'' thereby granting benefits to same-sex partners of city employees who signed a partnership affidavit.
Former Mayor Edward G. Rendell, now the Democratic candidate for governor, signed off on the partnerships in 1998 after they were approved by the City Council.
A group city taxpayers sued, charging that the city did not have the power to create a new marital status.
A Commonwealth Court panel agreed, saying in its ruling that the law ran counter to what the General Assembly intended the definition of marriage to be.
