PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Keep Same-Sex Marriage Rights in New York & Tell Senators Golden & Libous Their Hate Is NOT Welcomed
  1. Signatures
    1,989 out of 5,000
    Petitioning
    1. The NY State Senate (+ 20 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The NY State Senate
      • State Sen. Andrew Lanza (NY-024)
      • State Sen. Kevin Parker (NY-021)
      • State Sen. Martin Golden (NY-022)
      • State Sen. John Flanagan (NY-002)
      • State Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson (NY-036)
      • State Sen. Michael Gianaris (NY-012)
      • State Sen. Charles Fuschillo (NY-008)
      • State Sen. Shirley Huntley (NY-010)
      • State Sen. Diane Savino (NY-023)
      • State Sen. Thomas Duane (NY-029)
      • State Sen. Bill Perkins (NY-030)
      • State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (NY-035)
      • State Sen. John Bonacic (NY-042)
      • State Sen. Stephen Saland (NY-041)
      • State Sen. Neil Breslin (NY-046)
      • State Sen. Hugh Farley (NY-044)
      • State Sen. Tom Libous (NY-052)
      • State Sen. Michael Nozzolio (NY-054)
      • State Sen. Thomas O'Mara (NY-053)
      • State Sen. Daniel Squadron (NY-025)
  2. Created By
    Peter C Frank
    Yonkers, NY
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

New York State Senators Golden and Libous vulgarized the dignity of their offices by introducing hate-based legislation filled with lies. Senator Golden then defended his actions to the press by insisting his 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

Text

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.

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

In Defense of Marriage

Dear Senators:

I respectfully ask that the Defense of Marriage legislation, Senate Bill No. S5416 introduced by Senators Golden and Libous, immediately be withdrawn from consideration and repealed.

The proposed legislation is flawed across so many different levels that it is unconscionable the legislation continue even came to exist on record.

First, the proposed legislation states that there will be no fiscal impact. Not only is this patently disingenuous but it fails to take into account the fiscal impact on the tens of thousands of gay and lesbian New Yorkers whose marriages are currently recognized pursuant to Governor Patterson's 2008 executive order.

Second, the legislation violates both the Equal Protection and Full Faith and Credit clauses of the United States Constitution.

Third, in describing this legislation, Senator Golden informed the press that he introduced this legislation because his constituents "don't give a rat's ass" about such social issues. Recent polling, both across the nation and New York State in particular indicates a firm majority support marriage equality -- 70% of the youth voting block (those under 35 years of age) support marriage equality.

Finally, the bill implies that any sort of marital contracts entered into between two persons of the same sex would not be recognized by New York State; thus, civil unions, domestic partnerships, etc. and as such would lose their legal imperative once transferred to within the borders of New York State.

For the above-enumerated reasons and for the simple fact that this legislation promotes hatred, bigotry, and legalized discrimination, I respectfully ask that the Senate kill this bill and eradicate its existence.

[Your name]

Press Inquiries