Marriage Amendment Bill Introduced

Special Report - February 24, 2009
Today, legislators, in conjunction with the NC4Marriage Coalition, introduced the House and Senate versions of bills that would allow North Carolina citizens to vote on a Marriage Protection Amendment to include the definition of marriage in the state as the union between one man and one woman. North Carolina remains the sole southern state without such a constitutional amendment. Democratic and Republican Senate and House bill sponsors spoke at a press conference in the Legislative Building this morning about the urgent need for a Marriage Protection Amendment in North Carolina. Senate Bill 272 – Defense of Marriage, introduced by Senator Forrester (R–Gaston) is co-sponsored by 24 members of the State Senate. A House version of the bill is expected to be filed later this week by primary sponsors Reps. Pearl Burris-Floyd (R–Alamance), Jim Crawford (D–Granville), Dewey Hill (D–Brunswick), and David Lewis (R–Harnett). A three-fifths majority of each chamber (30 Senate votes and 72 House votes) is required for passage of the bill that would put the question of the Amendment on a ballot for a vote by North Carolina citizens this fall. The question on the ballot would ask if citizens would like to amend the State Constitution to include the following:

“Marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

The press conference also formally introduced the NC4Marriage Coalition, of which the North Carolina Family Policy Council is a part. Executive Director of NC4Marriage Tami Fitzgerald, Bishops Michael Burbidge and Peter Jugis of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh and Charlotte, respectively, North Carolina Family Policy Council President Bill Brooks, Christian Action League Executive Director Mark Creech, and other pastors and organizational leaders from across the state spoke of their commitment to protecting the sacred unity of marriage by their full participation and cooperation in the campaign.

Next week, on Tuesday, March 3^rd, Return America will sponsor a Marriage Rally on the Halifax Mall behind the Legislative Building. Attendees from churches, organizations, schools, and communities across North Carolina will convene to show legislators their support for this Marriage Protection Amendment. They will hear from various speakers on the topic of traditional marriage as a part of the Rally and then visit with their individual legislators to encourage support for the Marriage Amendment bills in the House and Senate.

“Today is an exciting day for the citizens of North Carolina,” said Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of NC4Marriage. “Legislators are taking a stand for marriage and for the right of North Carolina citizens to be afforded the same opportunity as voters in 30 other states to vote on whether to include the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one union in our State Constitution.”

Copyright © 2009. North Carolina Family Policy Council. All rights reserved.