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2011

4 entries from 2011.

September(1)

North Carolina General Assembly passed SB514, referring same-sex marriage ban constitutional amendment to 2012 ballot

On September 13, 2011, the North Carolina Senate concurred with the House 30-16, completing General Assembly passage of Senate Bill 514, a constitutional amendment providing that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union valid or recognized in the state. The House had passed the measure 75-42 the day before; the bill was ratified as Session Law 2011-409 on September 14, 2011, referring the amendment to a May 8, 2012 statewide ballot.

May(1)

Minnesota Legislature passed SF1308, referring same-sex marriage ban to November 2012 ballot

On May 21, 2011, the Minnesota House of Representatives voted 70-62 to pass SF1308/HF1613, completing legislative approval after the Senate passed the measure 38-27 on May 11, 2011. The joint resolution proposed a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between one man and one woman and referred the question directly to the November 2012 general-election ballot, bypassing the governor's signature. The measure was filed with the Secretary of State as Chapter 88, Laws of 2011, on May 25, 2011.

April(1)

Arizona Gov. Brewer signed SB1188, giving adoption agencies a married-couple preference amid state ban on same-sex marriage

On April 18, 2011, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1188, amending A.R.S. § 8-103 to require licensed adoption agencies to give "primary consideration" to placement with "a married man and woman," with single-individual placement permitted only under enumerated exceptions. Because Arizona's constitution then banned same-sex marriage, no same-sex couple could ever qualify for the top preference tier, and ACLU attorneys publicly characterized the law as discrimination against gay couples via a marital-status proxy.

March(1)

Indiana Senate passed HJR 6, completing first-passage of anti-LGBTQ marriage constitutional amendment

On March 29, 2011, the Indiana Senate voted 40-10 to pass House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR 6), a proposed state constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman and denying legal recognition to any "legal status identical or substantially similar" to marriage, thereby also barring civil unions and domestic partnerships. The Indiana House of Representatives had already passed the same resolution 70-26 on February 15, 2011, so the Senate vote completed passage of HJR 6 by the 2011 General Assembly.