Gay Marriage Watch

San Francisco state Sen. Mark Leno supports gay marriage – but he doesn’t think clergy should have to perform the ceremonies. Leno, who is gay, is introducing legislation that says no religious leader would be forced to perform a marriage that goes against their own beliefs or that of their faith. The bill would also re-emphasize the tax-exempt status of churches, and states that they would not lose this status by refusing to perform same-sex marriages.

Leno, a Democrat, contends the bill would not actually change the law because the First Amendment already offers these protections.

Instead, Leno said, it is a clarification aimed right at the ongoing debate over Proposition 8, the 2008 initiative that ended California’s brief experiment with same sex marriage. The measure won by six points after a campaign in which proponents sought to mislead voters, Leno contends.

Full Story from Capitol Weekly
Click here for gay marriage resources in California.
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A D.C. Council committee is expected to approve major changes Tuesday to the bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District, including adopting a provision that will make it easier for church officials to avoid participation in gay weddings and receptions.

As currently drafted, the legislation states that religious officials would have to offer wedding-related services to same-sex couples if those services are available to the public. But the Archdiocese of Washington and other religious organizations oppose that language, arguing that it would force them to restrict charitable and other services.

Bowing to that pressure, a council committee is expected to revise the bill to state that a church or religious official can deny services related to the “solemnization, celebration, or promotion” of a same-sex wedding without fear of running afoul of the city’s anti-discrimination laws.

Full Story from the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/09/AR2009110903246.html?hpid=sec-religion

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeals is seeking interveners in a case that will rule on proposed legislation that would let religious marriage commissioners refuse to marry gay couples.

In June the Saskatchewan Party government asked the court to rule on the constitutionality of two proposed changes to the province’s Marriage Act. The amendments would exempt marriage commissioners from performing a same-sex marriage “if to do so would be contrary to the marriage commissioner’s religious beliefs.”

One amendment would exempt those marriage commissioners appointed before gay marriage was legalized in the province in 2004. The other would exempt any marriage commissioner, no matter when they received their appointment from the province.

Full Story from Xtra.ca: http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Saskatchewan_samesex_marriage_case_heats_up-7744.aspx

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Canada.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.