HARRISBURG -- With more states moving to legalize gay and lesbian marriages, state Sen. John Eichelberger wants Pennsylvania to move further in the opposite direction.

Since 1996 Pennsylvania has had the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as only between one man and one woman, but the Blair County Republican wants to amend the state constitution to include a ban on same-sex marriage. He will hold a press conference tomorrow in Hollidaysburg to introduce a bill, which would have to be approved in two different legislative sessions and then in a public referendum.

Putting the same-sex marriage ban into the constitution will prevent the state Supreme Court from knocking out the 1996 state law, should a lawsuit be filed against it, he said.

He said there seems to be "an activist movement" in some states for gay marriage. He noted that three states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa -- now permit same-sex marriage, and will be joined by two more, Vermont and Maine, in September. Also, New Hampshire is close to approve same-sex marriage.

Mr. Eichelberger said 30 states already have a constitutional provision that defines marriages as just between one man and one woman, which prevents polygamist marriages as well as same-sex marriages.