Please Support Marriage Now

Public Hearings Held, Committee Action Scheduled For Marriage Redefinition Bills

From the Family Policy Institute

By Rebecca Faust 

The Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee and the House Judiciary Committee both held public hearings on the respective marriage redefinition bills on Monday.

Both hearings required the use of overflow rooms to accommodate the unusual crowds.

The hearings started with the usually summaries of the bill and statements from the bill's sponsors, followed by pre-arranged panels for each side, and finally testimony from randomly selected members of the public. There wasn't enough time for everyone's testimony, and except for the opening speakers, those who did testify were allowed one minute each.

The Family Policy Institute of Washington's executive director, Joseph Backholm, spoke on one of the opening panels at the Senate hearing. He encouraged the legislature not to redefine marriage themselves, without a vote of the people.

The chair of the Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee announced that his committee would hold an executive session on SB 6239 on Thursday, January 26th, at 10:00 a.m.

The chair of the House Judiciary Committee announced that his committee would hold an executive session on HB 2516 on Monday, January 30th.

In the legislature, executive sessions are open to the public, but the public are not allowed to comment on the bills under consideration. They are held following a public hearing, for the committee to take action on a bill.

Protect Marriage, Protect the Family

From the Family Policy Institute of Washington

Last Wednesday in Olympia, Governor Christine Gregoire held an impassioned press conference to announce her public support of legislation redefining marriage in Washington. If you did not watch it, you should by clicking here. While members of the homosexual lobby announced their intentions at a press conference in November, this marks the beginning of the legislative debate over the issue. Acknowledging that they were a few votes short of passage in the Senate, both the Governor and legislative leadership expressed confidence that they could secure the votes needed for final passage. Supporters of real marriage must counter the pressure that legislators will inevitably receive from the homosexual lobby. And they need to hear from 10 times as many constituents respectfully encouraging them not to redefine marriage. Here is a list of simple things you can do to help make that happen.

·    Read the Meaning of Marriage Talking Points (provided by Gerri)

·    Call your legislators through the legislative hotline at  1-800-562-6000.

·    Email all your legislators about marriage, then share the email widget with your friends on Facebook.

·    Schedule a personal visit with your legislators to discuss marriage. Call ahead to do so. You can find their office number by clicking here and clicking "find your district."

·    See additional ideas.

Remember, if each pro-marriage, pro-common sense voter in Washington takes two minutes to write and email or call the legislative hotline, we'll win. All we need to do is demonstrate that we care. So give two minutes for marriage today. None of us can accomplish this alone, but with minimal effort from each of us, we can ensure that common sense prevails in Washington State.

Pray for Washington State

Thank you to everyone who took the time to contact their Senator and urge him/her to oppose E2SHB 1267.

Unfortunately, the bill passed both the Washington State House and Senate. Governor Christine Gregoire signed the bill on May 10.

Legislative Alert - HB 1267

House Bill 1267

Clarifying and expanding the rights and obligations of state registered
domestic partners and other couples related to parentage.

There are often twists and turns when a bill is introduced in the Legislature.

HB1267 was amended by the Senate when it passed on April 13. The effect of the amendment removed the part of the bill that would have allowed contract surrogacy.

HB1267 was then sent back to the House who would need to agree with the amendment. The House refused to concur with the Senate amendment and asked the Senate for a Conference.

A conference committee was appointed to iron out the differences. House members of the committee are: Representative Jamie Pedersen, the prime sponsor of HB1267; Representative Deb Eddy, a co-sponsor of the bill; and Representative Matt Shea who voted against the bill.

As the conferees consider the differences, please pray that agreement will not be reached and HB1267 will fail to pass this session.

Pray for the Senate members yet to be appointed.

Senator Val Stevens

HB 1267 Stage Updated

The stage for House Bill 1267 has been changed to April 14 - the House refuses to concur in the Senate amendments. Asks Senate for Conference thereon.

Video of HB 1267 Hearing on the Senate Floor

April 12, 2011

Washington State Senators Voted to Pass 1267

Thank you to everyone who took the time to contact their Senator regarding E2SHB 1267. Unfortunately, 1267 passed with amendments 27 to 21 with one Senator excused.

Thankfully, one of the amendments removed paid surrogacy. However, this means that the bill will now return to the House.

E2SHB 1267 Roll Call Vote
Domestic partners/parentage
Senate vote on 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

Yeas: 27 Nays: 21 Absent: 0 Excused: 1

Republicans listed in Bold.

Voting Yea: Senators Brown, Chase, Conway, Eide, Fain, Fraser, Harper, Hatfield, Haugen, Hill, Hobbs, Keiser, Kilmer, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Litzow, McAuliffe, Murray, Nelson, Pflug, Prentice, Pridemore, Ranker, Regala, Rockefeller, Tom, and White

Voting Nay:

Democrats in Italics

Senators Baumgartner, Baxter, Becker, Benton, Carrell, Ericksen, Hargrove, Hewitt, Holmquist Newbry, Honeyford, Kastama, King, Morton, Parlette, Roach, Schoesler, Sheldon, Shin, Stevens, Swecker, and Zarelli

Excused: Senator Delvin