Attacks on marriage equality in Oklahoma

Freedom Oklahoma went on the offensive Monday in a press conference at the Oklahoma Capitol. Troy Stevenson, executive director of the new group formed from the merger of The Equality Network and Cimarron Alliance Foundation, outlined four different areas in which the LGBT community is under attack.

The Gayly will be following the progress of efforts to defeat the many anti-LGBT bills proposed in the Oklahoma legislature for its 2015 session, which begins next Monday.

Here is a summary of the bills attacking marriage equality.

House Bill 1599, called the “Preservation of Sovereignty and Marriage Act”, was filed by State Representative Sally Kern and takes direct aim at stopping marriage equality in the state. It says: “No employee of this state and no employee of any local governmental entity shall officially recognize, grant or enforce a same-sex marriage license and continue to receive a salary, pension or other employee benefit at the expense of taxpayers of this state. No taxes or public funds of this state shall be spent enforcing any court order requiring the issuance or recognition of a same-sex marriage license.” Additionally the bill requires courts to dismiss “any challenge to any portion” of the bill.

Senate Bill 478, titled the “Protection of Religious Freedom in Sanctity of Marriage Act of 2015”, was filed by State Senator Corey Brooks. It provides a broad carve out, allowing individuals and religious organizations to refuse to “provide any services, accommodations, [or] facilities,” solemnize, or even recognize any marriage or civil union based on their “sincerely held beliefs religious beliefs… regarding sex or gender.”

Finally, House Bill 1125, introduced by State Representative Todd Russ, seeks to do away with marriage licenses altogether rather than recognize legal same-sex marriages in Oklahoma. Instead, the court clerks would simply file marriage certificates that recognize common law marriages or marriage ceremonies.

The Oklahoma Republican Party was quoted on newscasts Monday night as saying that Freedom Oklahoma was employing “bullying tactics.”

Watch for detailed coverage of marriage equality, and the anti-LGBT legislation in the February issue of The Gayly, on newsstands beginning Wednesday.

The Gayly – January 27, 2015 @ 9am.