In this issue:
- AB-19 Defeat is a Huge Victory for Marriage and the Family
- American Psychiatric Association Endorses Same-Sex Marriage
- EU Parliament Urges Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages
- State Round up
AB-19 Defeat is a Huge Victory for Marriage and the Family
Dear Defender of Marriage;
The recent
defeat of AB 19 by the California State Assembly was a huge
win for those of us working to defend marriage and the family.
This bill, which would have legalized same-sex marriage in California,
fell 4 votes short of passage following an intense lobbying
campaign by both sides on the issue.
Working primarily through our state chapter, United Families California, we were actively involved in defeating this anti-marriage bill. UFI representatives lobbied against the bill in Sacramento and throughout the state and testified against it at the hearings held by the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee. We sent out multiple alerts in the weeks leading up to floor consideration and mobilized our grassroots to oppose it.
This effort was vital even though passage of this bill would not have meant that legalized same-sex marriage would have been imminent in California. AB 19 was unconstitutional according to most lawyers and the Assembly’s own legislative counsel. In 2000 the voters of California overwhelmingly adopted Proposition 22, which defined in law that marriage in the state was only between a man and a woman. The state constitution prohibits the legislature from overturning a law passed as a ballot proposition, which is exactly what AB 19 was attempting to do.
From the beginning both sides understood that this fight was being waged over the public relations impact of having the first state legislature in the country vote to legalize same-sex marriage. In all the instances to date where same-sex marriage has been imposed on a state, or where litigation is underway to force a state to legalize it, activist judges have been the driving force. The homosexual activists are trying to get any state legislature anywhere in the country to pass a same-sex marriage bill so they can claim that it is not just unelected judges who are supporting them, but also elected representatives.
California is the largest state by population and often considered a trend setter. If AB 19 had passed, it would have been national news and even international news. Knowing what was at stake, the anti-marriage forces threw everything they had into their lobbying effort to ram through AB 19 and we still won comfortably.
This success in killing AB 19 bodes well for the prospects of now passing a state constitutional marriage amendment in California. All pro-marriage groups in the state agree that this is now essential to protect marriage. Just as San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome illegally “marrying” thousands of same-sex couples last year helped push the various state constitutional marriage amendment campaigns to victory in November, so too has this attempt to subvert the clear intent of the voters in passing Prop 22 spurred the California amendment effort.
Three different amendments are being considered at this point. Signature gathering is expected to begin in the fall.
One thing is certain. If a California constitutional marriage amendment is on the 2006 ballot, it will also take on national and international significance. We will keep you posted.
In the meantime everyone who helped in any way to defeat AB 19 should feel deep satisfaction.
All of us should be relieved that they were successful.
Sincerely,
Sharon Slater
President, United Families International
News Items of Interest
- American
Psychiatric Association Endorses Same-Sex Marriage
The American Psychiatric Association endorsed same-sex marriage at its recent annual meeting. The group said it “supports the legal recognition of same-sex civil marriage," according to the approved statement. "Heterosexual relationships have a legal framework for their existence through civil marriage. Same-sex couples, therefore, experience several kinds of state-sanctioned discrimination that can adversely affect the stability of their relationships and mental health.” Article here.
- EU Parliament
Urges Recognition of Same-sex “Marriages”
A report by the Parliament of the European Union urges member countries to recognize as legal same-sex marriages performed in any of the member countries whether they are legal in that country. It was widely expected that the adoption of the EU constitution would lead to legalizing same sex marriage through out the EU but since voters in France and the Netherlands effectively killed the constitution, member countries will be less likely to legalize it regardless of the call by the Parliament. Article here.
State Round up
- California
In a closely watched legislative duel, AB 19, a bill that would have legalized same-sex marriage in California, failed to pass the State Assembly by 4 votes, killing it for the session. Article here.
One of several expected amendments to the California state constitution has been filed. Article here. - Kentucky
A state judge has upheld the language of Kentucky’s state marriage amendment adopted in 2004. Article here. - Maine
The Maine House has defeated a proposed state constitutional marriage amendment, killing it for the year. Article here. - Maryland
Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich Jr. has vetoed a state civil union bill but signaled that he might offer legislation that provides many of the same provisions next year. Article here. - Massachusetts
Pro-marriage groups are abandoning the compromise constitutional amendment they pushed through the legislature last year and instead will put a marriage amendment on the ballot through an initiative drive. Article here. - Michigan
A lesbian couple has filed suit in a Michigan federal district court challenging the state’s constitutional marriage amendment adopted by the voters in 2004. Article here. - Nebraska
The state Attorney General has filed an appeal to the 8th Circuit of the recent ruling by a federal district court judge that overturned the state’s marriage amendment. Article here. - New Jersey
A state appeals court has ruled 2-1 that the states ban on same-sex marriages is not unconstitutional, setting the stage for an appeal to the state’s Supreme Court. Article here. - New York
The New York State Court of Appeals, that states highest court, has ruled that the mayor of New Paltz, who illegally married same-sex couples, must stand trial for violating state law prohibiting such marriages. Article here. - Texas
The Texas Senate overwhelmingly voted for a proposed state constitutional marriage amendment, sending the measure to the voters in November. Article here.
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United Families International PO Box 2630 Gilbert, AZ 85299-2630
Phone: (480) 632-5450 • FAX: (480) 892-4417