LGBT Wisconsinites may have lost the marriage battle in the state Senate Dec. 7, but gay activists say they will continue to fight for every vote.
The Wisconsin Senate passed an amendment to the state constitution that would prohibit gay marriages and civil unions—a setback that LGBT group Action Wisconsin said it expected. Senators voted 19-14 along party lines in favor of the amendment formally known as SJR53. Next, the amendment will go to the Assembly for a vote. If it passes, it will most likely go before voters on Nov. 7, 2006.
'We are ready for this fight, and we will win this fight,' said Action Wisconsin's No on the Amendment campaign manager Mike Tate in a statement released shortly after the vote.
The amendment reads: Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state.
There were 20 proposed amendments to SJR53. Republican Senators rejected all amendments proposed by Sen. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, which would have limited the scope of SJR53.
Although the amendment passed in the Senate, Wisconsin gay activists and supporters had one victory—two senators switched their votes. Sens. Roger Breske, D-Eland, and David Hansen, D-Green Bay, voted against the amendment. Both voted in favor of it last legislative session.
Hanson also proposed an amendment that would eliminate the second sentence from the amendment, but it was rejected
Action Wisconsin is optimistic, despite the setback. The organization feels that Hanson and Breske's support produces a much narrower margin of support for the amendment. Each senator represents 160,000 Wisconsinites.
'We had time to change the hearts and minds of Wisconsin senators, and we have much more time to change the hearts and minds of Wisconsin voters,' Tate said.