23 May 2011

Petition to have hate-filled legislation revoked in NYS & restore dignity to NYS Senators' offices

I just created a petition at Change.org to have NYS Senate Bill No. S5416 removed for consideration. Here's the text of the petition.

OVERVIEW 
New York State Senators Golden and Libous vulgarized the dignity of their offices by introducing hate-based legislation filled with lies and defended their actions to the press by insisting their constituents "don't really give a rat's ass" about social issues. By signing this petition, you will tell Senators Golden and Libous that you firmly insist on their respecting the dignity and purport of their offices, and insist they respect all New Yorkers and treat them with dignity. 
New York State Senators Martin Golden and Tom Libous introduced a "Defense of Marriage" bill in the NYS Senate that would prohibit New York State from recognizing same-sex marriages performed out of state. Currently, pursuant to an Executive Order issued by then-governor Patterson, New York State recognizes all legally performed same-sex marriages. 
New York State confers over 1,300 rights and responsibilities to married couples. There are tens of thousands of gay and lesbian couples who have married out of state (or in such nations as Canada, where same-sex marriage is fully recognized) whose marriages are currently recognized by New York State pursuant to an executive order issued by then-Governor David Patterson. These couples would have their marriages stripped away by this hateful legislation. 
Additionally, the proposed legislation contains a number of factual innacuracies (to put it nicely). Here is the full text of the bill, which can be found at http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S5416-2011 
S5416-2011 
Memo BILL NUMBER:S5416 
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the domestic relations law, in relation to rendering the status of same sex marriage entered into outside of New York void under New York law 
PURPOSE: To affirm that the status of same sex man1age that is recognized, solem- nized or legal in another jurisdiction is considered void in New York. 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None. 
EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately. 
S5416-2011 
S T A T E    O F    N E W   Y O R K 
5416 2011-2012 Regular Sessions I N SENATE May 19, 2011  
Introduced by Sens. GOLDEN, LIBOUS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary  
AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law, in relation to rendering the status of same sex marriage entered into outside of New York void under New York law  
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 
Section 1. 
Section 6 of the domestic relations law is amended by adding a new subdivision 4 to read as follows: 
4. MARRIAGES CONTRACTED BETWEEN TWO PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX, REGARD LESS OF WHETHER SUCH MARRIAGE IS RECOGNIZED, SOLEMNIZED OR LEGAL IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION, SHALL BE CONSIDERED VOID IN NEW YORK.  
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately. 
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11581-01-1 
As can be seen from the text above, they list "fiscal implications" as "none." In addition to voiding all currently-recognized same-sex marriages in New York State, the bill would prohibit recognition of same-sex marriages "in another jurisdiction," violating the Equal Protection and Full Faith and Credit Clauses of the United States Constitution.
Senator Golden quietly announced this piece of legislation but when queried about it by the press, he responded that his constituents in the 22nd Senatorial District "don't give a rat's ass" about such social issues. Senator Libous has remained silent on why he has originated this piece of legislation. 
Let your voice be heard; tell Senators Golden and Libous that you DO give a damn and do not want to see this hate-filled piece of legislation enacted into law, and demand that he withdraw the legislation immediately. 
Demand that the New York State Senate revoke this repulsive piece of hate-inspired legislation based on lies and omissions, and immediately expunge it from its records.



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