|
I'm mentioned it offhandedly in a few places here, but we here in DC are quietly moving forward with our own bill on marriage equality. For a little background, DC is a city of about 590,000 people, governed by a 13-member city council, five of whom are from at-large seats, and a popularly elected mayor. Legislation passed by the Council and signed by the Mayor must go for a Congressional review period where it can be overturned. Congress can also screw with our laws by denying funding since our appropriations bill must go through Congress (this has been used in the past by Republicans to, for example, deny DC funding to implement our legislatively-passed needle exchange program).
But, most of the news I have is very good. I heard some final details last night from two colleagues taking point on this, legislatively speaking.
- The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 will be introduced on October 6th. 10 of the 13 DC Council members are co-sponsors, and while I'm extremely doubtful we'll get to a unanimous vote, we should get very close. A hearing will be held in late October, with a vote to follow.
- Mayor Fenty has repeatedly stated he will sign the bill.
- The bill will then go to Congress for a 30-day Congressional review period. The 30 days can stop and start depending on when Congress is in session, and timing of when legislative days start etc. so we expect this to last about two months, more or less. We're working with the Democratic leadership to do our best and make sure there are not opportunities for votes to overturn it, but anything is far from certain.
- We currently have a comprehensive domestic partnership law for same-sex and opposite-sex couples in the city. One provision in the bill would end the right of same-sex and opposite-sex couples to register for new domestic partnerships, which I oppose, as there are some- sisters who live together, for example- who would choose to register under such an arrangement for multiple purposes, even with marriage. I also know gay couples who simply do not agree with the concept of "marriage", but deserve legal protections. I would like to see this provision stricken.
- Regarding a ballot initiative, Bishop Harry Jackson, the local major domo homophobe (who actually lives in Beltsville, MD), has filed a request with the Board of Elections and Ethics to collect signatures for an initiative to ban marriage equality. The good news is that his last request (a few months ago) was denied on the grounds that it violates the District's Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination of the sort. Multiple sources have told me it is almost certain the BOEE will do the same this time.
Having marriage equality in DC would not only be an incredible accomplishment for DC's LGBT couples (DC has one of the highest percentages of LGBT individuals of any metropolitan area in the country), but would be hugely symbolic to have it in our nation's capital.
DC for Marriage, one of the groups I've been working with taking the lead on the ground all summer long, will continue to do so throughout the fall. Even if you don't live in DC, you can sign up for their e-mail list and join their Facebook group (the Facebook organizing is particularly great). Even better, ask your friends who live here or in suburban VA or MD to do so.
|
