If the state General Assembly decides to pass a law outlawing discrimination against gay and transgender residents, a large majority of state voters will not mind, according to a new Franklin & Marshall College poll released Wednesday.

Almost three quarters of voters (72 percent) said they favor passing a law outlawing such discrimination with almost three in five (57 percent) saying they strongly favor passage.

Bills outlawing the discrimination languish in the legislature, but the issue got a boost last month when Gov. Tom Corbett said he would sign the bill if it passes.

"I don't think there should be discrimination," Corbett said.

G. Terry Madonna, the poll's director, said the finding is important.

"The next issue before the legislature will not be the legalization of gay marriage, it will be making it illegal to discriminate in employment or housing based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity ... Corbett says he's even for that. That's the next fight."

Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of Republicans favor passing that law, Madonna said.

"I think the folks in the gay community understand that they're not going to get gay marriage, but this is a push that they have a legitimate chance of getting it done," he said. "It's a huge, huge question moving forward."

Voters continue to favor allowing same sex couples to marry legally, with almost three in five (56 percent) now saying they strongly or somewhat favor the idea and almost two in five (39 percent) saying they oppose it. The percentage in favor is up 2 points from a poll last May. They favor passing a law to allow same sex couples to marry by about the same percentages.

On another social issue, voters remain less liberal with almost three in five (58 percent) against legalization of marijuana and only more than a third (36 percent) in favor. Both percentages remain about the same as in three other Franklin & Marshall surveys since 2010, despite marijuana's recent legalization in Colorado.

Voters' attitudes change sharply when asked if they favor allowing pot's use for medical purposes with a doctor's recommendation. Then, more than four in five (81 percent) favor allowing it, with only about a sixth (16 percent) opposed.

As for another vice, liquor, support for selling off the state store system to private companies was about where it was last May (46 percent now compared to 47 percent then), but voters are now more willing to live with modernization rather than privatizing.

Last May, almost four in 10 (37 percent) wanted the stores sold and about a quarter (26 percent) favored modernization. In the latest poll, it was about a third each for privatizing (33 percent) and modernization (32 percent).

Voters also showed nuanced views on natural gas drilling. Almost two-thirds (64 percent) viewed the industry favorably, with only about a quarter (27 percent) opposed, but the numbers were closer on two other gas-related questions.

Four in 10 (40 percent) said the potential economic benefits outweigh the risks, and almost as many (37 percent) said the risks outweigh the benefits. Almost four in 10 (38 percent) said they think gas drilling has improved the quality of life in Pennsylvania versus about a quarter (26 percent) who think it has reduced the quality of life.

Only about a quarter (24 percent) favor expanding drilling in state forests with almost seven in 10 (68 percent) opposed.

Almost three quarters (72 percent) taxes on gas extraction should be shared by the state and local governments, which is the present situation.