Anti-gay “marriage amendment” submitted again to NC legislature
According to a release and action alert put out today by EqualityNC, our state’s premier LGBT advocacy organization, State Senator Jim Forrester (R-Gaston) today re-submitted the anti-gay marriage amendment bill.
For the past three years, the LGBT community in North Carolina, along with the help of our allies in the State Legislature, have been able to stave off passage of the bill. North Carolina is the only state in the South to have kept an anti-gay, constitutional amendment from being voted upon in both the legislature and by the people.
If passed, Senator Forrester’s bill would require a popular vote approving or denying a state constitutional amendment restricting marriage to one man and one woman and possibly having far-reaching affects on non-marriage related legal and financial arrangements between same-sex couples and others:
As in recent years, the proposed amendment is so broad that it not only puts the state’s denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples into the constitution, it also bans any other form of relationship recognition for all unmarried couples. It could even stop private companies from offering partner health benefits in our state.
EqualityNC is asking for your help in taking action on the issue. You can participate by sending a letter to your state representative. Tell them to keep discrimination out of our constitution!
The Amendment, in-depth: (src)
On the first day of the 2007 session, Sen. James Forrester and other Republican members of the Senate introduced Senate Bill 13, which would amend the state constitution to discriminate against same-sex couples.
A similar bill is expected in the House.
Far right legislators are pushing to pass an anti-LGBT, anti-marriage state constitutional amendment. Equality NC and our allies prevented this amendment from passing in 2004, 2005, and 2006, but we have to fight hard to stop it again this year.
If passed, the amendment would not only elevate the discriminatory ban on same-sex marriage to the state constitution, it would prohibit any recognition of same-sex partners in North Carolina. In fact, the language of the amendment is so broad it could prevent private companies from offering domestic partner health benefits.
In order to become law, the amendment must pass both houses of the legislature with a 3/5 majority and be approved by a simple majority of voters on a statewide ballot.
Take action now to help us keep discrimination out of our state constitution.
Technorati Tags: Jim Forrester, EqualityNC, gay marriage, North Carolina, marriage amendment
Matt, 22, is an LGBT journalist, activist and youth advocate currently living and working in Charlotte, N.C., where he serves as the Editor of Q-Notes, the Carolinas' LGBT news source. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is still continuing to pursue his bachelors degree. He is the Owner & Editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14.
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