Arizona Government
Effort seeks to link marriage definition to Az Constitution
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PHOENIX - Supporters of a state constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriages have revived the proposal.
The original proposal was jettisoned by supporters earlier this month after the House amended it over their wishes to also include new rights for unmarried couples.
No attempt was made to add the provisions for unmarried couples when a new version of the ban received tentative approval from the House on Tuesday. House passage on a formal vote scheduled Wednesday would send the resolution to the Senate.
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat who organized the successful effort to amend the earlier version, declined to comment on the status of opposition to the new version.
Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, a Gilbert Republican, said Sinema obviously didn't try again to amend the bill because she lacked enough votes.
"So we're able to get it through the House. Now we'll have to work in the Senate," Farnsworth said.
A Senate version of the proposal was put on hold when the original House version stalled and the issue has yet to be taken to a full Senate vote this session.
Legislative approval would put the measure on the November general election ballot.
Arizona voters in 2006 narrowly rejected a measure that would have banned same-sex marriage. That measure, unlike the current legislation, contained wording interpreted to restrict domestic partnerships and civil unions.
State law already prohibits same-sex marriages and that ban has been upheld by state courts, but supporters of the ban contend it deserves the enhanced status of being a constitutional provision that would require voter approval to change.
"A constitutional amendment is going to be a far more solid and stable prohibition of same-sex marriage than a statute would be or a judicial ruling," Farnsworth said.
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Homer T. (john1963)
Apr 23, 2008 @ 6:40amWhy does Farnsworth care about who gets married? If he is so concerned about marriage, how about an amendment banning divorce? It seems to me there are a lot more pressing problems he could be paying attention to (the economy comes to mind). - Post a Comment »