Opponents of same-sex marriage won a surprising victory yesterday at the N.C. House of Representatives - only to see it reversed a few hours later in a procedural move by House Speaker Joe Hackney.
At issue is a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as “the union of one man and one woman at one time.”
……..
But Hackney, a Democrat from Orange County, likely prevented a vote on the bill anytime this year by reassigning it to another legislative committee rather than allowing the House to debate it and vote on it.
……
The unusual procedural showdown was about more than parliamentary rules. It illustrates the political divisiveness of the issue of same-sex marriage, and it is the most high-profile instance to date of Hackney using his power as speaker to block a piece of legislation.
……
An amendment to the constitution would have to be approved by a majority of the state’s voters in a statewide referendum. Before that could happen, it would have to be passed by three-fifths of both the House and Senate.
In the House, supporters say they believe that they have enough votes to pass it by a three-fifths approval if it came up for a vote. Sixty-three legislators - which is an unusually high number - have sponsored the bill.
Supporters of the amendment called Hackney’s blocking action undemocratic.
……..
Advocates for gay rights said yesterday that they believe Hackney made the right call.
“We’re glad that Speaker Hackney showed the leadership to prevent it from going to the voters,” said Ian Palmquist, the executive director of Equality North Carolina.
….
Queer enablers in NC despise democracy
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by glockmail
