Discrimination Same-Sex

Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples

LWVAL Action Priority Level III - Issues identified by LWVAL Advocacy Committee and/or State Board or Local Leagues. Monitoring occurs; action dependent on opportunity and available resources.

Click a bill to see sponsor(s), summary (including link to full text), League action and justification for that action, and progress of the bill through the legislative process.

Legend:

= LWVAL's support for the legislation.

= LWVAL's opposition to the legislation.

= new bill activity; change from previous week's report such as new progress in the legislature and/or League action. Bill may be one newly added to the report. These updates are in green font.

LWVAL has taken a position on these bills:

SB143 - Marriage, contract for, recording by judge of probate, transmission to Vital Statistics office, content of contract, Secs. 30-1-9, 30-1-10, 30-1-11, 30-1-14 repealed; Secs. 22-9A-17, 30-1-5, 30-1-12, 30-1-13, 30-1-16 am'd.

Sponsor(s): Senator Albritton

Summary/Synopsis: This bill would replace a state-issued marriage license with a form simply filed by the parties to the marriage.

Download SB143.

Download SB143 Substitute 174114-3.

Download SB143 Engrossed.

Download SB143 Substitute 177141-5.

League Action and Justification: Oppose
This is another attempt to get around the issue of the state issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Bill Progress in Legislature:

Senate Action:

02/03/2016: First Reading and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (JUD).

03/03/2016: 2ND Read and placed on the calendar with 1 Substitute; pending 3rd Read and Favorable from JUD with 1 Substitute (174114-3); JUD 1st Substitute Offered

03/15/2016: 3rd Reading passed; Judiciary first Substitute Offered; Albritton motion to Adopt adopted by Roll Call; Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted by Roll Call; Engrossed

House Action:

03/15/2016: First Reading and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary (JUD).

04/20/2016: 2nd Read and placed on the Calendar with 1 Substitute (177141-5); pending 3rd Read and Favorable from JUD with 1 Substitute.

HB158 - Child Care Provider Inclusion Act, established, state prohibited from discriminating against child care service providers under certain conditions, civil remedies, provided for

Sponsor(s): Representative Wingo

Summary/Synopsis: This would prohibit the state from discriminating against or refusing to license a provider of child care services on the basis that the provider declines to provide a child care service or carry out an activity that conflicts with the religious beliefs of the provider; and to provide for civil remedies. These child care services include foster care placement and adoption services.

Download HB158.

Download HB158 Substitute 175829-4.

League Action and Justification: Oppose
This is yet another attempt to sanction violation of the law in the name of religion. It would permit discrimination against same-sex couples in their efforts to adopt or foster children.

Bill Progress in Legislature:

02/09/2016: First Reading and referred to the House Committee on Health (HLTH).

04/13/2016; 2nd Read and placed on the calendar with 1 substitute; pending 3rd Read and Favorable from Health with 1 Substitute (175829-4); Health 1st Substitute Offered

Note: the Substitute seeks to strengthen the religious argument used in the bill to circumvent recent federal court rulings.

04/28/2016: Indefinitely postponed.

HB362 - Marriage, contract for, recording by judge of probate, transmission to Vital Statistics office, content of contract, Secs. 30-1-9, 30-1-10, 30-1-11, 30-1-13, 30-1-14 repealed; Secs. 22-9A-17, 30-1-5, 30-1-12, 30-1-16 am'd.

Sponsor(s): Representative Hill

Summary/Synopsis: This bill appears to be another in a series of bills to avoid the State's having to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples by simply recording marriage contracts.

Download HB362.

League Action and Justification: Oppose

Bill Progress in Legislature:

03/03/2016: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Judiciary (JUD).

LWVAL is monitoring these bills:

[none at this time]

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