Senate Bill 13: Anti-LGBT, Anti-Marraige Constitutional Amendment

• Bill Number: Senate Bill 13
  
• Bill Status: Assigned to Committee on Ways and Means
  
• Bill Link: Check Bill Status and Read/Download Bill Text
• Related Bills: House Bill 493
  
• ENC Position: Equality NC opposes this bill.

Bill Summary

Introduced on January 25, 2007 by Sen. James Forrester (R-Gaston) and 17 co-sponsors, Senate Bill 13, so-called "Defense of Marriage", 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.

The bill's sponsors include 17 of the 19 Republican Senators and one of the 31 Democratic Senators.

Sen. Forrester introduced similar bills in the 2004, 2005 and 2006 sessions, which Equality NC successfully worked to block.

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 2007 ballot.

Sponsors

Forrester (R) (Primary)
Allran (R)
Apodoca (R)
Berger, S. (R)
Bingham (R)
Brock (R)
Brown (R)
Brunsetter (R)
East (R)
Goodall (R)
Hartsell (R)
Hunt (R)
Jacumin (R)
Pittenger (R)
Preston (R)
Smith (R)
Snow (D)
Tillman (R)