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A bill that would have banned Wyoming from recognizing same-sex marriages from other states has died in the state House.
The Wyoming House adjourned without taking action on a same-sex marriage bill that had already passed the state Senate. Passing the measure would have required a two-thirds vote in both houses. House Majority Floor Leader Rep. Tom Lubnau, R-Gillette, said he didn't want to spend hours of floor time debating a bill that didn't have the votes to pass. The Legislature is set to adjourn next week. Another bill was still pending that would change Wyoming law to specify that the state would only recognize marriages between one man and one woman. Disagreement remained between the House and Senate over whether the state should allow same-sex couples who entered civil unions elsewhere to have access to the state court system to resolve any issues that arise in their relationships.A local Christianist group has vowed to revive the bill in the next legislative session.
Christian groups formed joyous prayer circles outside the Wyoming Senate chamber this afternoon to thank Jeebus for the action of their lawmakers, who today voted to ban the recognition of out-of-state gay unions.
House Bill 74 passed 16-14 after tagging on a last-second amendment guaranteeing out-of-state couples in civil unions access to Wyoming courts. Because of the amendment, the bill will now head back to the House to approve the changes. The House passed the legislation late last month 32-27. Supporters of the bill, House Bill 74, said the legislation is needed to resolve a conflict in Wyoming law, which defines marriage as a contract "between a male and a female person" but also recognizes any valid marriage performed outside the state.
Thanks to a newly-elected Tea Party-backed GOP majority, the Wyoming House today passed a bill banning the recognition of out of state same-sex marriages and civil unions. Similar bills had failed twice in recent years.
State Rep. Owen Petersen, R-Mountain View, the bill's sponsor, said the legislation is needed to resolve a conflict in Wyoming law, which defines marriage as a contract "between a male and a female person" but also recognizes any valid marriage performed outside the state. Other supporters have said the bill will help to hold back government intrusion into Wyoming traditions and culture.The bill is expected to pass easily in the state Senate.
"I think all this is, is an outpost in culture that says, 'Listen, I feel like you're destroying everything else that I have. You've gotten involved in the raising of my children, the way I discipline them, the way I feed them, whether or not I can smoke in the car, whether or not I have them properly equipped; you've just gotten into my life so much, let's just let me define the relationship I'm in, OK?" Wyoming GOP state Rep. Frank Peasley, speaking in support of a bill banning the recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages. The bill passed easily in the Wyoming House yesterday.
