Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Marriage Amendment Bill in North Carolina

The state senate will consider legislation to allow voters of North Carolina to decide if marriage shall be defined as a union of one man and one woman in the state's constitution.

UPDATE 8/15/11: Citizens mount signature drives to influence legislators' votes

-- From "NC Voters Want to Vote on Marriage Amendment" by Lincoln Tribune staff reports 3/27/11

A large majority, 64 percent, of North Carolina voters support holding a vote on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, according to a new poll released this week by the Civitas Institute.

. . . Thirty-percent said they oppose it, and 5 percent said they do not know or have no opinion.

"Despite years of being held up in the Legislature by a handful of politicians and special interest groups, the voters of North Carolina strongly support holding a vote on this constitutional amendment," said Civitas Institute President Francis De Luca.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Proposed N.C. amendment targets marriage definition" by Anna Johnson, The Pendulum (Elon University) 3/29/11

The proposal, sponsored by Sen. James Forrester, R-Gaston, has been co-sponsored by Sen. Rick Gunn, R-Alamance, and in previous years never made it out of committee. But opponents of the bill believe with Republican control of the general assembly it could make it to the ballot.

North Carolina is the only southern state that has not passed a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.

The proposed amendment is currently in committee.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.