Arkansas Bill to Prohibit a Domestic Partnership Registry

The Tolbert Report: Amid the plethora of bills filed today at the deadline was a bill by Rep. Bryan King meant to address a situation in his home district of Eureka Springs. HB2176 will prohibit a county or municipality from recognizing a domestic partner relationship that is not recognized by Amendment 83 of the Arkansas Constitution. Amendment 83, more commonly known as the Defense of Marriage Amendment was passed by 75% of Arkansas voters in 2004 and states “Marriage consists only of the union of one man and one woman.”

However, recently the city of Eureka Springs has sought to make an end run around this State Constitutional Amendment by recognizing “domestic partnerships.” In October of 2007, the Eureka Springs city council passed city ordinance 2052, which allows the city to register and recognize domestic partnerships. By filing the city’s “Declaration of Domestic Partnership” same sex couples can gain official government recognition allowing them to qualify for benefits traditional reserved for married couples such as health care benefits.

If passed, HB2176 will prohibit cities such as Eureka Springs from continuing this registration and bring the counties and municipalities of the state into conformity with the Defense of Marriage Act. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on City, County & Local Affairs where committee member Rep. Kathy Webb, the only openly homosexual member of the Arkansas legislature, is likely to lead outspoken opposition.

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Tags: Arkansas, Bryan King, Defense of Marriage, domestic partners, Eureka Springs, gay activists, legislature To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!