Gay-Marriage Supporters Protest At Chabot's Office
CINCINNATI -- Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage gathered Wednesday morning outside the Cincinnati office of Republican Congressman Steve Chabot to protest his decision to hold five hearings on the issue and demand that he focus on other priorities.


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Walters Urges Rejection Of Gay Marriage Amendment
Former Governor Tells Voters to Call House Speaker
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Former Oklahoma Gov. David Walters is urging voters to help stop a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriages in Oklahoma.


The Senate last week approved a GOP-sponsored bill to send the proposed constitutional amendment to a vote of the people in November. The measure is now headed to the House for consideration.

In a recorded phone message to voters, Walters said placing the "anti-civil rights" initiative on the November ballot could guarantee a large Republican turnout and result in the loss of the Oklahoma House and U.S. Senate seat to the GOP. He said the proposed state lottery to fund education could also be in jeopardy.


Walters' message asks voters to call House Speaker Larry Adair and urge him to kill the bill.

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Jay Parmley said he believes putting the issue on the November ballot was a purely political move designed to help the GOP.

"There's no reason to wait until November," Parmley said. "If they really believe that gay marriage is such an important issue, let's put it on the ballot in July. This is all political."


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Minister wants City Council to call for gay-
By JOHN PECK
Members don't appear eager to sponsor proposal being offered across state

A Birmingham minister says he will ask the Huntsville City Council Thursday night to weigh in on the gay marriage issue. At least two council members said Tuesday the matter isn't a question the council needs to discuss.

The Rev. Frank Matthews of Intercession Ministries wants the council to pass a resolution calling for a ban on gay marriages. Matthews made the same pitch recently to the Birmingham City Council, and he plans identical proposals to city councils in Montgomery, Mobile and Selma. The Birmingham council has not taken any action on his request.

The resolution needs a council sponsor; Matthews can't submit it directly for a vote. None of Huntsville's five council members expressed an interest Tuesday in sponsoring such a resolution.


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Committee Votes To Ban Recognition Of Same-Sex Marriages
State Would Study Laws Regarding Civil Unions
CONCORD, N.H. -- After two days of debate, a group of lawmakers in New Hampshire voted Wednesday in favor of blocking recognition for gay marriages performed out of state. The issue is expected to go before the full House next week. A consultant for the Freedom to Marry Coalition called it hateful and homophobic legislation.

Supporters said the law is necessary to give the Legislature time to consider civil unions for gay and lesbian couples before lawsuits push the issue into the courts.

The bill establishes a study committee to look at what laws would need to be changed to make civil unions legal in the state.

This bill differs from the version approved by the Senate. That bill banned recognition of same-sex unions and defined marriage as being between one man and one woman.


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N.M. GOP punishes clerk for issuing marriage licenses

The Sandoval County, N.M., Republican Party's central committee, saying that county clerk Victoria Dunlap "has brought disgrace to the party," voted to censure her for issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in February. "Other than assassination, all we can do is censure her," said committee chairman Richard Gibbs. About 20 Republicans attended Tuesday night's meeting, and all but one voted to censure Dunlap.


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Virginia House Votes On Gay Marriage Ban

Efforts To Ease Restrictions Rejected
Virginia's House of Delegates passed a bill that would ban same sex marriage.
The bill would ban civil unions and other same-sex partnerships from being recognized in Virginia.

After fiery debate, the House rejected the governor's efforts to make the bill less restrictive. Gov. Mark Warner's amendment would have removed language from the bill prohibiting a "partnership contract or other arrangement" between people of the same sex. Democrats said the amendment could invite constitutional challenges.

The state already bans same-sex marriages performed in other states from being recognized in Virginia.


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Some Businesses See Utah As Not Welcoming