LGBTQ news and entertainment
Nevada took another step forward today in repealing it’s constitutional ban on marriage equality and making the freedom to marry possible for thousands of Nevadans.
The bill to repeal the ban passed in the state Assembly by a vote of 27-14. Only one Republican legislator voted for the bill.
The state Senate had passed the bill, SJR13, earlier this year by a vote of 12-9.
SJR13 will have to be approved by the 2015 Legislature, and then voters in 2016 to take effect.
A bill repealing the state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage passed the Nevada Senate Monday by a vote of 12-9.
Senate Joint Resolution 13 repeals the constitutional amendment enacted by voters in 2002.
From Buzzfeed:
Sen. Kelvin Atkinson declared on the floor during the debate, “I am a black, gay male.” Because he was speaking about his sexual orientation publicly for the first time Monday night, he said he had heard negative comments about the marriage amendment repeal from others prior to the vote. But, he said, “People should mind their business and allow people to do what they want to do.”
Sen. Patricia Spearman (D), openly gay freshmen senator was the first to speak, saying “This is a vote to let the people vote for equality.”
Sen. David Parks (D) who is also openly gay, urged the passage saying the daily lives of heterosexuals would go on, but the passage of SJR13 would dramatically change the way he and his friends live.
Along the lines of equality, Sen. Aaron Ford (D) stood up to say his heart was pounding, and he compared this issue to the debate over interracial marriage.
“I…urge you to support the notion of equality,” he said. “That which denied me, and people who look like me, the opportunity to marry whomever we wanted to based on some arbitrary definition of what it’s suppose to be about.”
Sen. Ford is one of a few black members of the Nevada Legislature.
Sen. Justin Jones (D), said he couldn’t look a gay family member in the eye if he voted against SJR13’s passage.
One argument from the opposition – the voters have already decided to ban gay marriage eleven years ago. But many spoke saying, public support of the ban is wavering.
“This country is changing. Nevada is changing. And we must change with Nevada,” Sen.Ruben Kihuen said.
Senator Ben Kieckhfer was the lone Republican to vote in favor of passing the resolution.
SJR 13 is now on its way to the Assembly. If passed by lawmakers this year and in 2015, it would go to voters in 2016 who will ultimately make the final decision.
(source)
Good news coming out of Carson City. A “religious exemptions” amendment to SJR13, which would repeal the same-sex marriage ban in Nevada and make marriage equality legal, has passed. The amendment was added to make the resolution more acceptable to some lawmakers.
From the Nevada Appeal:
The amendment offered by Sen. Pat Spearman, a lesbian minister, states: “Religious organizations and clergy have the right to refuse to solemnize a marriage and no person has the right to make any claim against a religious organization or clergy for such a refusal.”
The amendment was approved on an 11-10 party-line vote with Democrats in favor. Senate Joint Resolution 13 now goes to the Senate floor for a vote early next week.
Nevada is one of 29 states with a constitutional provision prohibiting same-sex marriage. But as in many other states, Nevadans’ sentiments on the issue are evolving and shifting.
In a letter last month to the Senate Committee on Operations and Elections, MGM Resorts expressed support for repealing Nevada’s gay marriage ban.
And this week a group of high-profile business leaders added their voice to the debate.
“To be competitive, a state must create an equitable, fair and respectful environment for all of its citizens,” said the letter signed by an array of sate business leaders, including Elaine Wynn, Billy Vassiliadis, Monte Miller and Sig Rogich. “For this reason — among others — it is vitally important that Nevada lawmakers enact marriage equality soon.”
It concluded, “The Nevada Legislature should act now. It’s the pro-jobs, pro-growth thing to do. It’s the right thing for Nevada.”
This morning, by a vote of 3-2, the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections in Nevada voted to advance a legislative measure that would begin the process to repeal the state’s anti-marriage equality amendment and legalize marriage equality.
A vote is expected before April 23.
From Freedom To Marry:
An initial draft of the language for the measure sought to repeal the state’s 2006 anti-marriage constitutional amendment, but the resolution passed this morning takes a step forward by replacing that language with an amendment to “recognize marriages and issue marriage licenses, regardless of gender.”
In order to repeal the amendment, the resolution – SJR13 – must pass this year AND again with identical language in the next legislative session (2015). If both votes pass, then the proposal goes to the voters in November 2016.
For more info about marriage equality in Nevada, click here.
(via Freedom To Marry)
Nevada legislators have begun the long road of repealing the anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment.
From the Las Vegas Sun:
Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, introduced a Senate Joint Resolution that would repeal the section of Nevada’s constitution that says “only a marriage between a male and female person shall be recognized.”
Here’s what has to happen:
1. The state legislature has to approve the measure this year
2. The state legislature would have to approve the measure again in 2015
3. The resolution would have to be put on the ballot in 2016
4. If the state voters repeal the constitutional amendment, then lawmakers would THEN have to work towards a bill that would LEGALIZE marriage equality.
But here’s the thing: time is going to go on no matter what. And, at least, the process has been introduced. Nevada does have domestic partnerships to help offer some legal protections for LGBT couples, which is at least something.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is already marketing specifically to gay and lesbian couples. Adding weddings to the mix could be an economic boon for Nevada.
“We’re already a huge destination for weddings anyway,” Shinn said. “If we could expand to the LGBT community, we would benefit.”
A recent poll by the Retail Association of Nevada last month shows support for same-sex marriage and repeal of the “Protection of Marriage” clause in the state constitution. The poll shows that 54 percent of Nevadans favor repeal while 43 percent oppose.
A new Public Opinion Strategies poll commissioned by the Retail Association of Nevada finds that a majority of Nevada voters would support repealing the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
Even with the normal partisan and age divides, 54% would favor removing the Protection of Marriage provision from the Nevada Constitution, with 43% opposed.
A federal judge in Nevada has rejected a lawsuit brought by Lambda Legal on behalf of eight gay couples challenging the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
On Thursday, Chief Judge Robert C. Jones, of the U.S. District Court in Nevada, said the state can limit marriage to opposite-sex couples.
In its suit, Lamba Legal charged that Nevada’s ban on same-sex marriage violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, and relegates same-sex couples “to only a second-class status.”
Jones, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the laws does not “prohibit … the People of the State of Nevada from maintaining statutes that reserve the institution of civil marriage to one-man–one-woman relationships.”
“Homosexual persons may marry in Nevada, but like heterosexual persons, they may not marry members of the same sex. That is, a homosexual man may marry anyone a heterosexual man may marry, and a homosexual woman may marry anyone a heterosexual woman may marry,” he wrote.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs signaled that the case will likely be appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court.
“This is not the end of this fight,” said a spokesperson for Lambda Legal. “We will appeal and continue to fight for these loving couples, who are harmed by Nevada’s law barring marriage for same-sex couples.”
“We are confident this ruling will be overturned on appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals,” said Lamda Legal, in a statement.
(source)
The number of Nevadans filing initial claims for jobless benefits fell in September to the lowest level in five years.
The state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation says the 13,932 initial claims filed last month are the lowest since before the recession began in 2007. September’s filings compare with 16,693 initial claims filed in the same month last year.
Initial claims peaked in December 2008 at 34,414.
The agency will release its full report on September unemployment numbers for Nevada on Friday.
Nevada has had the nation’s highest jobless rate since May 2010.
(source)
A Nevada lawmaker is aiming to challenge the state’s constitutional ban on marriage equality with legislation that would reverse two voter-approved ballot initiatives that have restricted marriages only to heterosexual couples.
Nevada Assemblyman Elliot Anderson will be introducing a bill after the legislature convenes in February which would begin the process to eliminate the state-wide ban on marriage equality because.
Nevadans approved the constitutional ban on marriage equality in 2000 with 69.6% of the vote. A final vote on the matter in 2002 was approved by 67% of the vote.
In 2009, Nevada passed domestic partnerships which reportedly gives same-sex couples the same rights as married couples.
(source)