Oklahoma House of Representatives
Mike W. Ray, Media Division Director
January 8, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: State Rep. Bill Graves
Capitol: (405) 557-7348
Oklahoma City: (405) 235-5811

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A pair of measures to ban same-sex civil unions in Oklahoma as well as gay marriages will be introduced in the Legislature this year by a staunch opponent of homosexual behavior.

State Rep. Bill Graves intends to file a bill that would amend state law, and a companion resolution that would propose an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution.
The bill would provide that a marriage or a civil union performed in another state between people of the same gender "will not be recognized as valid and binding in this state..."

The legislation would also clarify that a marriage or civil union between a couple of the same gender "is not authorized or recognized" in Oklahoma. "Gay" marriages have been prohibited in this state since 1997.

In addition, Graves' bill would declare that a marriage or civil union between persons of the same gender "shall be considered repugnant to the public policy" of this state.

The bill defines a "civil union" to mean "a relationship between persons of the same gender which is not a legal marriage but gives the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as a marriage..."

"According to the Holy Bible, homosexuality is an abomination in God's eyes," declared Graves, R-Oklahoma City. "Nothing the liberals say otherwise can change that."
A joint resolution Graves intends to file would call for a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriages or civil unions in Oklahoma, and to disregard such ceremonies performed in other states.

Graves, an attorney, pointed out that such a prohibition imprinted in the Constitution would carry even more weight than a statute. A statute can be changed by a majority vote among the 149 members of the state Legislature, but the Constitution can be amended only by a statewide vote of the people, he explained.

Graves acknowledged that his proposal was prompted at least in part by a Nov. 18 ruling of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that the Massachusetts Constitution guarantees homosexual couples in the Bay State the right to marry.

At least one other House member, Rep. Mike O'Neal, R-Enid, also wants a constitutional ban against gay marriages. In his "Defense of Marriage Act," O'Neal proposes a referendum on a constitutional amendment that would expressly define a marriage as the union of a man and a woman

The issue of marriage between members of the same sex has been taken up by state courts other than Massachusetts' and by the federal government.

In 1996, Congress passed and then-President Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as a "union between one man and one woman" and allowed states to ignore any same-sex marriage from another state. Today, Oklahoma is one of 37 states that prohibit recognition of marriages between gay couples.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that Alaska, California, Nebraska and Nevada have amended their state constitutions to ban gay marriage. In addition, legislation proposing ballot initiatives that would ban gay marriages were introduced last year in Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi and New Mexico.

The Graves and O'Neal measures will be filed for consideration during the Second Regular Session of the 49th Oklahoma Legislature, which convenes Feb. 2.

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