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March 01, 2006
On The Ballot This Fall In Wisconsin
Posted at March 1, 2006 09:59 AM in Gay & Lesbian Issues .
Wis. Proposed Gay-Marriage Ban Faces Vote
DiversityInc.com
Wisconsin voters will decide this fall whether to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage and civil unions.
The proposal cleared its final hurdle in the Republican-controlled Legislature Tuesday evening and will appear on the state ballot in November. That's also when voters will determine whether Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle will get a second term in office.
Democrats called the bill an attempt to draw more conservatives to the polls in hopes of defeating Doyle.
The governor vetoed a previous attempt to change state law to define marriage as between one man and one woman and has denounced the amendment, which bypasses his desk.
The two Republicans seeking their party's nomination for governor—U.S. Rep. Mark Green and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker—support the ban.
"This is a cynical right-wing attempt to motivate the base for the fall elections," said Rep. Marlin Schneider, a Democrat.
Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat and the only openly gay member of the Assembly, called the amendment "state-sponsored discrimination."
A majority vote would add 43 words to the constitution declaring the state recognizes only marriage between one man and one woman and does not grant a similar legal status to unmarried individuals, such as civil unions.
Supporters said the amendment would defend marriage from legal challenges seeking to grant same-sex couples the right to marry, such as one that was successful in Massachusetts. The amendment also would ban civil unions in which gay couples are granted the same benefits as married couples.
Critics said the amendment is not needed because state law already defines marriage as between a husband and wife. They contend the amendment would outlaw benefits such as healthcare provided by many municipal governments and private companies to partners of gay employees.
Supporters acknowledged the courts would have to sort out what benefits could be offered to gay and unmarried couples.
Eighteen states have amended their constitutions to ban gay marriage or to declare marriages between gay and lesbian couples invalid, according to Human Rights Campaign, a national gay-rights group. (AP)
See also: Collateral damage: Loss of benefits and its effect on families could be consequence of proposed same-sex marriage ban