Senate Bill 1228: Anti-LGBT State Constitutional Amendment

• Status: This bill was not brought to a vote in the 2006 session and is ineligible for further consideration.

Bill Summary

Equality NC opposes this bill.

On the first day of the 2006 session, Sen. James Forrester and 18 other Republican members of the Senate filed Senate Bill 1228, which would amend the state constitution to discriminate against same-sex couples.  Offically titled "Defense of Marriage," the bill would not only deny equal marriage rights, which are already denied lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender North Carolinians, but would also prohibit any recognition of civil unions, domestic partnerships, or similar relationships in the state. The language of the bill is so broad it could prevent private companies from extending domestic partner benefits to their employees.

Esentially identical bills were introduced in 2004 and 2005, which Equality NC successfully worked to block. This year's version has 2 fewer sponsors than the 2005 bill..

The bill was referred to the Senate Rules Committee. In order to become law, the bill would need to pass both the House and Senate with at 3/5 margin, and be approved my a majority of voters on the November 2006 ballot.

This bill is substantively identical to House Bill 2438.

Bill Resources

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Sponsors

Forrester (primary)

Allran
Berger
Blake
Brock
Carpenter
Foxx
Garwood
Hoyle
Morre
Pittenger
Sloan
Smith
Tillman
White