The State Senate approved a House bill Wednesday banning gaymarriage and civil unions was passed by the Senate with over thetwo-thirds majority needed for approval.
The Senate voted 31 to 6 in favor of the bill, which will nowmove into the House for approval.
Individuals both protesting and supporting the bill crowded intothe Senate Chamber of the State Capitol Wednesday to witness theresult of what possibly could be a historical move in LouisianaState government.
The bill, by Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, states, “Marriagein the state of Louisiana shall consist only of the union of oneman and one woman.”
If the bill passes in the House, the general population willvote in the fall whether or not to amend the state constitution. Itis still unclear whether the vote will be held Sept. 18 or Nov.2.
Alaska and Nebraska already have added similar amendments totheir state constitutions, according to Sen. John Hainkel, R-NewOrleans. He said many states also have similar bills in theirlegislatures.
Hainkel, who authored a similar bill in the Senate stating thatmarriage should be defined between one man and one woman, said heis satisfied with the vote because it is important to preservetraditional marriage because of the creation of children.
“Marriage is about children, historically and socially,” hesaid.
Sen. Joel Chiasson, D-Destrehan, proposed an amendment Wednesdaywhich would change the wording of the current bill, but hisproposal failed.
Chiasson proposed the amendment to soften the effect on queercouples by removing two sentences from the original bill.
The sentences deal with civil unions, or domestic partnerships,said Randy Trahan, associate professor at LSU’s Hebert LawCenter.
Trahan said Chiasson not only is concerned with civil unions,but is worried it could have an effect on other rights of same-sexcouples.
The amendment failed by a 24 to 12 vote.
Hainkel said same-sex couples still can enter contracts with oneanother — for example, leaving a piece of land to their partner –but the state would not issue a marriage license.
Hainkel said the reason the Senate voted against Chiasson’sproposal was simple.
“I don’t think they wanted the state to recognize civil unions,”he said.
Supporters of the current bill swarmed the capitol wearingstickers which read, “One man, one woman.” Parents brought alongtheir children, also wearing stickers, and some even broughtinfants.
“I’m very strongly in favor of this amendment,” said MarionJohnston, 72. “I want it to be set in stone.”
Johnston was thrilled with the result of the vote.
“I’m very thankful,” she said. “I’m thinking of all the littlechildren. It’s in the word of God.”
But protesters of the bill say it would force discrimination inthe state constitution.
“Senator Hainkel’s admitted ignorance of the law has againembarrassed Louisiana,” said Cami Miller of Capitol City Alliance,a local group which promotes equality in Louisiana.
Miller said the legislature passed a bill last year which wasdeclared unconstitutional, and the same would happen to this one ina few months.
Others are concerned about public voting for the amendment.
Morris Welch of Equality Louisiana, an organization promotingequal treatment to all citizens, said the election would beinteresting.
“We will find out exactly how intolerant and bigoted andhate-filled the people of Louisiana are, and whether anyone in thestate believes in a respect for any religion that isn’t their own,”he said. “People who favor this in an earlier day would be the samepeople who were certain that the republic would fall if slaverywere ended, if blacks were given the right to vote and if womenwere given the right to vote.”
Rev. Gene Mills from the Louisiana Family Forum supports thebill. He said traditional families are those related by marriage,blood, or adoption, and they are the preferred model for raisingchildren in society.
“It drives the economy, school system, industry,” he said. “Itwas the American dream.”
Mills said the bill is to define a marriage, not to restrictqueer couples.
“It’s not about gay marriage, it is about defining marriagetraditionally,” he said. “It’s not to rob anyone of their rights.Anyone in the United States, including Louisiana, are entitled tothe same constitutional rights and limits.”
The House probably will vote on the bill sometime next week,Trahan said.