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Civil Marriage Contract Bill Not in Wisconsin Spirit
August 20, 2003
Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin deplored the introduction
of a divisive proposal in our state Legislature, which would further regulate
civil marriage contracts. This proposal would declare that the parties
to a civil marriage contract may only be one man and one woman. The religious
institution of marriage is unaffected by this bill.
The bill's proponents have unnecessarily put it on a fast track. Legislators
have scheduled a hearing on Assembly Bill 475 and Senate Bill 233 for
Thursday, August 21, 2003 at 10 a.m.. "The ACLU is concerned that some
legislators appear to be manipulating the hearing schedule. The regulation
of civil marriage contracts should no more be changed in haste, then they
should be entered into in haste," said ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director
Chris Ahmuty today.
The ACLU of Wisconsin believes that legislators, who are concerned about
the vitality of institution of marriage, should not unfairly target individuals
of the same sex who want to enter into a committed responsible long-term
relationship, even without the benefits that heterosexual couples receive
from the State. This bill is anti-commitment, anti-responsibility and
anti-privacy. "The Legislature really should try to be move positive or
else it's growing to be a long session," Ahmuty continued.
The ACLU has some good news for the proponents of this civil marriage
contract bill. ACLU Executive Director Chris Ahmuty points out to legislators,
"your own marriages and your own religious beliefs are not threatened
under current law, nor will they be if the committed long term relationships
of same sex couples are recognized by Wisconsin law."
The ACLU of Wisconsin urges thoughtful and fair legislators to oppose
this divisive and unfair bill.
SB 233 / Assembly
Bill 475, PDF document
Relating to: marriage between one man and one woman.
By Representatives Gundrum, W. Wood, Hundertmark, Nischke, J. Fitzgerald,
Weber, Albers, Nass, Grothman, M. Lehman, Montgomery, LeMahieu, Ott, Gottlieb,
F. Lasee, Kreibich, Kestell, Pettis, Seratti, Suder, Ladwig, Freese, Hines,
Gunderson, Krawczyk, Lothian, Huebsch, Friske, Petrowski, Towns, Van Roy,
Honadel, Bies, Hahn, Olsen, D. Meyer, Owens, Townsend, and M. Williams;
cosponsored by Senators S. Fitzgerald, Leibham, Zien, Stepp, Reynolds,
Lazich, Schultz, Kanavas and Roessler.
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