Wolf to fill Supreme Court vacancies, urges passage of non-discrimination bill

On Tuesday he told parents with sick children he supported legalization of medical marijuana.

On Wednesday morning Gov. Wolf met with a small group of lawmakers and gay rights advocates to urge them to pass a bill barring discrimination in workplace and housing.

"Fairness is smart, inclusion is good for business," said Wolf, speaking to the Equality Coalition in the Capitol at the start of "Discrimination Exists" week, a national effort to call attention to the absence of anti-discrimination laws across much of the U.S.

Wolf reminded them that just last week in his inaugural address he referenced the founding of Pennsylvania by William Penn on the basis of inclusion.

"What injustice we are doing to his legacy by not adopting this legislation," he told the group.

A federal judge ruled Pennsylvania's defense of marriage act unconstitutional last year, clearing the way for the legalization of same sex marriage, yet the Commonwealth is among dozens of states where discrimination on the basis of sexual identity is still legal.

Although bills have been introduced every session for years, advocates have been unsuccessful in getting the legislation to floor votes in either chamber.

In the meantime, 32 municipalities across the state have implemented policies to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Wolf, speaking to reporters after the event, also said he would name two individuals to fill vacancies on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court left by the retirements of Justice Seamus McCaffery and Chief Justice Ron Castille, he just didn't know who yet.

Whether he would fill the seats until the November election has been the topic of much speculation as the court will open its session with only five members. A crowded field of candidates both Democrat and Republican are jockeying for the two seats, plus the interim seat held by Justice Correale Stevens, who will be among the candidates running for the ten-year term.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.