With Republican Senators under intense pressure from Mike Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo, Senators Gillibrand and Schumer and a large coalition of conservative GOP donors to approve marriage equality in the next few weeks, Senators Martin Golden (District 22, Brooklyn) and Tom Libous (District 52, Binghamton) have turned to that old addage, "The best defense is a good offense."
They introduced a bill today that would strip New York State government of its practice of recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states.
The text of the bill:
416
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N SENATE
May 19, 2011
Introduced by Sens. GOLDEN, LIBOUS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law, in relation to rendering the status of same sex marriage entered into outside of New York void under New York law
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.
Section 6 of the domestic relations law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. MARRIAGES CONTRACTED BETWEEN TWO PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH MARRIAGE IS RECOGNIZED, SOLEMNIZED OR LEGAL IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION, SHALL BE CONSIDERED VOID IN NEW YORK.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11581-01-1
Governor David Paterson administratively implemented the policy of New York recognizing same-sex marriages preformed elsewhere in May 2008, shortly after taking office.
There has been no public outcry in the the three years since.
Republicans have had plenty of time to register their complaints with this practice, but have done nothing of the kind.
This is clearly a stunt and an attempt to put the marriage equality activists on the defense.
Frankly it's disgusting. If these Senators felt strongly it was the wrong policy they had plenty of time in the last three years to register their disapproval. But it's isn't that they disapprove, and it isn't that they suddenly realized their constituents care. Nobody cared in 2008, and nobody cares now in 2011.
It's a shameless stunt that plays to an ignorant and hateful minority of voters. Feel free to tell them so.
Call Senator Golden - (518) 455-2730; (718) 238-6044
Call Senator Libous - (518) 455-2677; (877) 854-2687
Say WTF?!
Update: Jeremy Hooper at Good As You blog at least maintains a sardonic sense of humor:
No word if Sen. Golden's bill also forces us to burn our wedding albums for kindling and to sacrifice our gifted juicers to the gods of conservatism. But we'll keep you posted.