HRC Back Story

More good news from Arizona.  Earlier this week, a state council voted to provide domestic partner benefits to state employees.  Yesterday, the state House of Representatives took positive action that places a proposed anti-marriage referendum in doubt.

Arizona is the only state where, in 2006, voters defeated a marriage amendment at the polls. This year, opponents of equality are trying to put another referendum on the ballot—this time, the goal is to place a marriage-only ban before voters (the 2006 measure would have affected other relationships in addition to marriage).

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, also a member of HRC’s Phoenix steering committee, led the successful fight against the 2006 measure, and is doing the same this year.  Yesterday, Rep. Sinema proposed an amendment to the referendum that would provide domestic partners with basic rights like hospital visitation, medical decisionmaking and inheritance.  The amendment to the referendum narrowly passed by a 28-27 vote.  Now, if the referendum does go on the ballot, it would also contain protections for domestic partners.

Rep. Sinema (pictured) said that “Yesterday’s vote gave voice to Arizonans who support legal protections for unmarried couples.  Some legislators are trying to make the so-called 'same-sex marriage ban' an issue again this election cycle, but what Arizonans really want is for them to solve the budget crisis and focus on real priorities like education, health care, and immigration.”

Rep. Sinema’s amendment seems to have stalled the referendum, which is great news.  Arizona voters just spoke on this issue two years ago, and rejected the politics of division and discrimination.  As Rep. Sinema says, Arizona legislators, and Arizona voters, have better things to do with their time than to take up this question again.