Ohio State Senate Passes Gay Marriage Ban

The State Senate of Ohio could vote as early as today on a bill that would outlaw Gay Marriage in the State. The State House of Representatives has already approved the bill and if it stays in that form Governor Bob Taft will sign it into law.

After Finan left the Senate in 2003 because of term limits, Republican Rep. Bill Seitz sponsored the current bill and told the committee that a ruling in Massachusetts that declared the state's gay marriage ban unconstitutional could affect Ohio.


"My concern is the cost of the courts rewriting statutes in ways we did not intend," Seitz told the committee.


His bill states that same-sex marriages would be "against the strong public policy of the state," and would prohibit unmarried partners of state employees from receiving benefits received by married partners.


However, the legislation would allow exceptions, including employees who gain such rights in negotiating under collective bargaining, he said. It would not apply to local governments or private companies.

News.Yahoo.com

[Edited on 22-1-2004 by BlackJackal]

this was infact passed btw, 18-15 was the vote I think. One of the strictest bans in the country. My state senator, a republican, opposed it.

[Edited on 22-1-2004 by Bob88]

Yep and heres the story....

abcnews.go.com...

I will not support gay unions until it is provent that homosexuality is a 'natural expression' of human sexuality.

thank God, maybe Dubya will sign it into law for all of america

What garbage?!

Sure, I find homosexuality a bit freakish, but I wouldn't want to get in the way of a bond that two people share.

I wonder when they'll ban marriage entirely. We all know how unsuccessful man&woman unions can be. What's it at now....50% of marriages end in divorce? Ah, you gotta love those traditional marriages!

I object to this. Hopefully, it will soon be struck down.

This is ignorance at its best- I thought the states were supposed to be a secular nation. It seem the christian majority oppresses another minority yet again.

DE

I personally am not the type that would ever want a same sex marriage but for those who do more power to them. Its obviously not a natural proggression but the world is not going to run out of people because of the few who do feel strongly enough to marry. It might possibly come a little more natural without all the stiff refute.

I believe there are several different levels of queerness. 1. Those who might try it but wouldn't dare have anyone know it, mom, dad strait friends etc.... 2. Those who are openly bi and prefer niether over the other or have an any port in the storm will do kind of attitude. 3 And then there is the hardcore all out kissing on the mouth anything goes marrying kind of queer that actually develops a deep love and compassion for that other person.

Someone else might have a better take on it than that but that is the way I see it from this side of the world.

Thumbs up for the queers.

Whoops! somehow two post came up out of the one.

[Edited on 24-1-2004 by TgSoe]