Anti-LGBT amendment now in NC House
by Matt | May 30th, 2006 |According to an action alert from EqualityNC, 56 Representatives in the North Carolina House of Representatives submitted their version of an anti-LGBT marriage amendment.
The first action was taken on the first day of the 2006 “short session” in the North Carolina Senate, where Senator James Forrester (R-41) and 18 other Republicans submitted Senate Bill 1228. The House version, House Bill 2438, was filed on May 24, 2006.
This from EqualityNC:
On the first day of the 2006 session, Sen. James Forrester and 18 other Republican members of the Senate introduced Senate Bill 1228, which would amend the state constitution to discriminate against same-sex couples.
Later, 56 Representatives filed a similar bill, House Bill 2438.
Far right legislators are pushing to pass an anti-LGBT, anti-marriage state constitutional amendment in the next two months. Equality NC and our allies prevented this amendment from passing in 2004 and 2005, 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 the November 2006 ballot.
I urge you to take action on this horribly misguided attempt to “protect marriage.” This so-called amendment to “protect marriage” would in reality leave open the possibility of hurting many more families than just LGBT couples and their children. The language of the amendment is so broad that even domestic partner benefits from private businesses given to unmarried straight and gay couples alike could be prohibited.
Visit the EqualityNC website to learn more and to take action!
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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