Wyoming legislators reject changing state constitution to ban gay marriage

[The Straight Story]

Wyoming legislators reject changing state constitution to ban gay marriage


The state legislature in the US state of Wyoming has rejected a bill that would have cleared the way for a statewide ballot to ban recognition of any out of state gay marriage.

Republicans, who were behind the measure, portrayed it as protecting "traditional" marriage.

On Friday the state House of Representatives voted it down 35 to 25 after an emotional debate on the issue of same-sex couples. A similar move stalled in the state Senate last month.

Wyoming law already prohibits marriage by gay and lesbian couples.

The resolution, which sought to place the proposed amendment before voters, would have written this prohibition into the state constitution and also threatened to prohibit other forms of relationship recognition for gay and lesbian couples.

"We are grateful that the Wyoming House of Representatives stood up for equality and refused to write discrimination into the state constitution," said Joe Solmonese of leading LGBT equality group Human Rights Campaign.

"I am thrilled and proud that my colleagues took a stand against writing discrimination into Wyoming's constitution," said state Representative Cathy Connolly.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11108.html