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Anti-same-sex
marriage amendment killed in Maryland

Anti-same-sex
marriage amendment killed in Maryland

A proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Maryland died in a house committee Thursday after a day of rancorous debate between Democrats and Republicans on what has become the most emotionally charged issue of the 2006 general assembly session. Republican proponents of the amendment said they do not plan to give up and are exploring options to get the bill up for debate by the full house of delegates. The amendment, which originally banned same-sex marriages and civil unions, was rejected on a unanimous vote in the judiciary committee after Democrats narrowly amended it so it would define marriage as a union of one man and one woman but also allow civil unions with all the rights of marriage. "We will not give up this fight," Republican delegate Christopher Shank said after the judiciary committee vote. He said Republicans will use every parliamentary maneuver at their disposal to get the 141-member house of delegates on record on the issue of same-sex marriage but told reporters, "I'm not going to stand here and announce what our strategy will be." The committee vote came at the end of a day of wrangling that began in the morning session of the house of delegates when Republicans tried a rarely used house rule to bring the bill up for debate by the house before the committee could vote on it. House speaker Michael Busch gaveled the session to a close before any action could be taken. That brought swift condemnation from Republicans, including Gov. Robert Ehrlich, who criticized the speaker's handling of the issue. Busch defended his actions, noting that the bill got an expedited hearing and was scheduled for a vote Thursday, a fact that he said was known to Republicans. "We have been fair and forthright on this issue," Busch said, adding that there are steps Republicans can take to get the bill up for debate despite the judiciary committee vote. Same-sex marriage is a politically inflammatory issue, made more so this year by the recent decision of a Baltimore judge to declare invalid the Maryland law stating that marriage is a union of one man and one woman. Democrats, who worry that having the amendment on the ballot would boost turnout by conservative voters in November, would like to keep the issue off the ballot in the general election. Busch repeated the argument of party leaders that the legislature should not try to amend the constitution until the state court of appeals decides whether to overrule or affirm the lower court ruling. Circuit judge M. Brooke Murdock stayed the effect of her ruling until a decision is made by the court of appeals, and Democratic delegate Neil Quinter said same-sex marriage is still illegal and no same-sex couple in Maryland can walk into a courthouse and get a marriage license. Ehrlich issued a pointed reminder to Democrats that Republicans don't intend to let the issue disappear, even if it is not on the ballot. "This is going to be an issue in the 2006 election in races all across the state," the governor said. "It should be placed on the ballot." House majority leader Kumar Barve, a Democrat, chided the governor for being inconsistent on what should be put before the voters. "The same governor who didn't want slot machines on the ballot now wants this on the ballot," he said. And at a hastily called news conference late in the day after the committee vote, Republican members repeatedly said Democrats were trying to keep a marriage amendment off the ballot for political reasons, fearing it will benefit Republican candidates in November. Marriage should be above politics, but "clearly to the Democrats in the house of delegates, it is not above politics," Shank said. The bill, as introduced by Republican delegate Don Dwyer, would have banned same-sex marriage and civil unions. The key vote in committee came on a motion by Democratic delegate Kathleen Dumais to leave the ban on same-sex marriage but legalize civil unions. Democrats had argued that Dwyer's amendment was so broad in scope that it could affect many kinds of legal relationships between two people of the same sex, such as two sisters or two brothers or even a parent and adult child living together. "This amendment guts the intent of Mr. Dwyer's amendment," Republican delegate Herb McMillan said. After the committee approved the Dumais amendment on an 11-10 vote, with three Democrats siding with the committee's seven Republicans, Dwyer and other committee members insisted that their names be taken off the bill. At the end of the day, the bill was rejected on a unanimous vote, with supporters saying they could no longer support it because the Dumais amendment completely reversed the purpose of Dwyer's original bill. (AP)

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