Alaska Advances Anti Gay Bills

Alaska Senate Advances Anti-Gay Bills

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
November 20, 2006 - 1:00 pm ET
(Juneau, Alaska) A key Alaska Senate committee has ratified two bills passed Friday by the House that could result in a constitutional showdown between the legislature and the state Supreme Court over same-sex benefits.
The first bill prohibits Gov. Frank Murkowski's administration from granting any court-ordered health and retirement benefits for same-sex partners of state employees. The second would explore the possibility of a constitutional amendment barring gay benefits that could go on the 2008 ballot.
Murkowski called the legislature into special session to approve a benefits package worked out by the Department of Administration to comply with a court order declaring the lack of health and pension benefits violated the Alaska constitution and ordering the legislature to rectify the situation by January 1.
The House voted last week to pass the measures 22 - 10. (story) The Senate Finance Committee approved the measures Sunday night on a 4 - 1 vote. The bills now advance to the full Senate.
If passed and signed into law by the governor the first measure would likely be overturned by the Supreme Court, but a constitutional amendment banning benefits for same-sex couples would tied the court's hands from further action.
Last year the state Supreme Court ruled the state must establish benefits to same-sex partners of its employees in response to an action filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and nine Alaska couples.
The high court ruled that because same-sex couples are prohibited from marrying in Alaska, denying them rights extended to married couples deprives them of equal protection guaranteed under the Alaska Constitution.
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