Tennessee's 'Natural Marriage Defense Act' is making a comeback, would prohibit same-sex weddings

[DonViejo]

Natalie Allison, Nashville Tennessean Published 1:38 p.m. CT Feb. 8, 2019

After failing to advance last session, Republicans have again filed legislation to keep Tennessee from permitting same-sex marriages, a bill officials previously estimated could cost the state more than $9 billion in federal funding.

Known as the "Tennessee Natural Marriage Defense Act," the bill by Sen. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, and Rep. Jerry Sexton, R-Bean Station, states that the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision to legalize same-sex marriage is void in Tennessee because the state has already passed its own law and constitutional amendment limiting marriage to one man and one woman.

The bill would prohibit government officials — presumably including clerks issuing marriage certificates — from giving recognizing any court ruling that affirms same-sex unions, and specifies they cannot be arrested for failing to comply with court orders that do so.

It would also require the Tennessee attorney general to defend the state's law on marriage in any subsequent court challenge.

In the event the marriage defense act did take effect, plaintiffs would likely quickly step immediately to challenge it in court, which could result in a federal district court ruling that the law cannot be enforced.

The statute appears to require the state to appeal such a ruling and defend the law, potentially taking the case to the 6th circuit federal appeals court. From there, it could go ultimately advance to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The far right’s dream scenario is this would go back before the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court would accept it," said Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, an LGBTQ rights advocacy group that has previously opposed the bill.

more
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/08/tennessee-marriage-defense-act-would-ban-same-sex-marriage/2805983002/

[gratuitous]

1. Tennessee has nothing better to do or spend its money on?

Despite the legal stylings of Mr. Pody and Mr. Sexton and their retinue of supporters from Lebanon and Bean Station, the United States Constitution is indeed the boss of you. You will waste a lot of time and money and stir up a lot of hate and discontent. But somehow I suspect that's all you think you're supposed to do in elected office.

[brooklynite]

2. The problem with dreams is that eventually you wake up to reality

Even this Supreme Court won't overturn marriage equality. It's one thing to debate a right that people don't yet have; it's substantially more disruptive to take one away. Overturning marriage equality would put into question the legal status of everyone who got married after marriage equality was approved.

[redstateblues]

3. Our TN House and Senate are bastions of ignorance

Last edited Mon Feb 11, 2019, 01:34 PM - Edit history (1)

They are trying to make it legal to carry guns in bars. What could go wron?