RALEIGH, NC — Republican members of the North Carolina General Assembly have proposed a new bill that would ban same-sex marriage in the state, despite a previous federal ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
NC Representatives Larry Pittman, Michael Speciale, Mike Clampitt, and Carl Ford proposed House Bill 780 on Tuesday. According to the bill, in 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court overstepped its bounds when Section 6 of Article XIV of the NC Constitution was struck down by their ruling in another case concerning marriage equality.
The bill states that it should remain the right of the states to establish laws concerning marriage, and that if HB780 were to pass, any marriage between a same-sex couple would be rendered invalid in the state of North Carolina.
The bill immediately drew criticism from members of the NC Democratic Party (NCDP) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Both parties issued statements regarding the proposed legislation:
βMarriage equality is the law of the land in North Carolina and the entire nation, no matter what half-baked legal theories anti-LGBT lawmakers try to put forward,β said ACLU-NC Policy Director Sarah Gillooly. βThis bill is absurd, unconstitutional and further proof that some North Carolina legislators remain committed to discriminating against LGBT people and their families. North Carolina lawmakers cannot defy the U.S. Supreme Court based on their extreme personal views.β -ACLU
“Republicans in the General Assembly seem to have a special talent for embarrassing themselves and our state. Instead of wasting their time on hateful, discriminatory and clearly unconstitutional legislation, they should be working with Governor Cooper to improve our schools and cut taxes for the middle class.” -NCDP
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