From: AHRF@aol.com Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 01:55:36 -0400 Subject: (AZ) Governor signs same-sex marriage ban bill ARIZONA HUMAN RIGHTS FUND SYMINGTON SIGNS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN Arizona Governor Symington signed into law SB 1038 (NOW: Same sex marriages) on Wednesday, May 5, 1996. SB1038 prohibits same-sex marriages in Arizona and prohibits the recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states. SB1038 passed the Arizona House by a vote of 50 YES, 5 NO, and 5 NOT VOTING on April 12. SB 1038 passed the Arizona Senate by a vote of 21 YES, 9 NO on April 18. Arizona joins five other states who have passed bans - Utah, South Dakota, Idaho, Georgia, and Kansas. The bill was the third attempt by ultra-conservative lawmakers to pass a same-sex mariage ban. The firsttwo attempts had been thwarted in the House of Representatives; by questions of violations of the State Open Meetings Law and through parliamentary maneuvering by openly gay State Representative Ken Cheuvront. But, like the "Friday the 13th" slasher movies, the same-sex marriage ban was resurrected. S.B. 1038, was sponsored by Rep. David Farnsworth (R-Snowflake), and was given the green light by Legislative leaders. Capitol sources stated that Governor Symington and House Speaker Mark Killian, (R-Mesa), agreed to continue the session until a same-sex marriage ban had been approved by both houses. High point: Senator Goudinoff (D-Tuscon) commented "Passing a bill like this, 30 or 40 years from now, is going to look at best foolish." on the Senate floor. Low point: "Why shouldn't a person be able to marry anything, a head of lettuce, a cow? Why stop there?" - State Rep. Robert Blendu (R-Phoenix) urging the state to pass legislation refusing to recognize same-sex marriages. (Tucson Citizen, 4/13/96) Comments can be made to Governor Fife Symington at his web page comment form at http://www.state.az.us/gov/post Thank the members of the Arizona State Legislature who voted against SB1038: SB1038 Senate "NO" Votes - 9 total Name Dist. Party Email Phone Chris Cummiskey 25 D ccummisk@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-4916 Randall Gnant 28 R rgnant@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-4138 Peter Goudinoff 11 D pgoudino@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-5262 Mary Hartley 20 D mhartley@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-4485 James Henderson 3 D jhenders@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-4323 Patricia Noland 13 R In process... 602-542-5911 Victor Soltero 10 D vsoltero@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-5342 Carol Springer 1 R cspringe@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-5584 Austin Turner 15 R wturner@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-4173 Letters can be sent to: The Honorable [Member Name] Arizona State Senate 1700 W. Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007 or faxed to (602) 542-3429 SB1038 House "NO" Votes - 5 total Name Dist. Party Email Phone Ken Cheuvront 25 D kcheuvron@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-5895 Jorge Luis Garcia 11 D jgarcia@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-3395 Joe Eddie Lopez 22 D jlopez@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-5830 Ruben F. Ortega 8 D rortega@azleg.state.az.us 602-542-5761 Elaine Richardson 11 D In process... 602-542-4893 Letters can be sent to: The Honorable [Member Name] Arizona House of Representatives 1700 W. Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007 or faxed to (602) 542-4208 --------------------------- Web pages and e-mail links to members of the Senate can be found at: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/members/senate.htm http://www.azleg.state.az.us/members/house.htm Web page for the Governor can be found at: http://www.state.az.us/gov/ The Arizona Legislative Information Service (ALIS) can be found at: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ Through ALIS you can access text of bills, floor and committee votes, members bios, etc. Status of Senate Bill 1038 "NOW: Same sex marriages" can be found at: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/legtext/42leg/2r/bills/sb1038o.htm Text of SB1038 "Same Sex Marriages" can be found at: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/legtext/42leg/2r/bills/sb1038h.htm ----------------------------- ARIZONA HUMAN RIGHTS FUND P.O. Box 25044 Phoenix, AZ 85002 voice mail: (602) 530-1660 fax: (602) 275-7384 e-mail: ahrf@aol.com NOTE: To be added or removed from our e-mail Action Alert list please e-mail us.