Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Richard Piatt ReportingUtah lawmakers took the first step toward amending the Utah Constitution today. If approved, the state constitution would define a marriage as between a man and a woman only.
A constitutional amendment would require a thumbs-up from two-thirds of both the House and Senate, and the majority of voters this fall. It's a tough test, but has the potential of passing in each case.
At the same time same-sex couples are claiming marriage rights in Massachusetts and in San Francisco, states like Utah are working to do the opposite. In fact, this Utah House committee has set in motion the process of a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Rep. LeVar Christensen, (R) Draper: "It has to be done, it should be done, we make no apologies for it. But it is not a statement of discrimination or anger."
Representative LeVar Christensen makes no bones that he thinks the Legislature should work toward moral law that follows biblical teaching. But not every conservative lawmaker is so quick to amend the state constitution. Morgan Philpot, for example, would prefer more time and thought into the role government is playing.
Rep. Morgan Philpot, (R) Sandy: "If this truly is a moral issue as some have argued, then we need to solve that through families, through communities, through religion. And not through a state action that gets debated in a one hour meeting."
A Survey USA poll for Eyewitness News earlier this month shows support for the state constitutional amendment. 73 percent of the 500 people surveyed say they favor the idea.
But there is fierce and emotional opposition, and not just among homosexuals. Many see the effort alone as demeaning, discriminatory, and as marginalizing same sex couples. One gay activist says the impacts are unknown, yet potentially significant.
Michael Mitchell, Equality Utah: "It terrifies gay and lesbian families, as it should. It should terrify all Utah families. Again, this is something that limits rights in a terribly egregious way."
If this measure passes the two-thirds test in both the House and Senate, it will be on the statewide ballot this November.
