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JUNEAU (AP) — Gov. Tony Knowles on Monday allowed a bill banning same-sex marriages to be come law without his signature, but in the same letter announcing the deci sion he chastised the measure as a po litical ploy. ‘Since it does nothing to change current law, the primary motivation behind the bill apparently was to trig ger a divisive and derogatory debate aimed at one segment of our society,”’ Knowles, a Democrat, wrote to Speaker of the House Gail Phillips and Senate President Drue Pearce, both Republicans. The move makes Alaska the sixth state to approve bills specifically ban ning same-sex marriages. Similar bills are pending in 12 other states; in 14 states the bills have been rejected, ve toed or failed to advance in legisla tures, according to the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund Inc., a pro-gay group. *‘Our view is that the issue really was to engage in gay and lesbian bashing,’ said Attorney General Bruce Botelho, who briefed reporters on Knowles’ decision. “‘It certainly fulfilled a much larger national agen da by the right ... to engage in some demagoguery.”” But supporters said the bill, which also blocks the state from recognizing same-sex marriage from other states, became necessary after Hawaii's Supreme Court rejected a ban on gay unions. That court sent the case back to Hawaii's lower court. A trial is set to begin Aug. 1. “I’m not a_ knee-jerk right winger,’ said Rep. Norman Roke berg, R-Anchorage, who introduced one bill banning same-sex marriage. ‘*I think it’s an institution that needs to be maintained and preserved.”* Knowles last week signed a bill that allows employers to block benefits to the partners of unmarried workers. Critics have complained the bill un fairly targets homosexuals and their partners. Fairbanks Sen. Pete Kelly introduced that legislation in response to a decision in a case filed by two University of Alaska employees with same-sex partners. Kelly said neither bill was meant as a divisive act. ‘Our laws don’t punish same-sex relationships,’ he said. ‘*But neither do we encourage them.” Gay men and lesbians have com plained that laws banning marriage deny them benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy, such as tax advantages to filing jointly, exemptions from in heritance taxes in many states and au tomatic rights as heirs. They also compare the measures to Jim Crow-era laws that prevented in terracial marriages in some states. ‘*I’m very disappointed,’’ said Al lison Mendel, an Anchorage attorney who co-chairs the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association. **I think that (Knowles) espoused a different tack on this before he was elected.’ Knowles aide David Ramseur said Knowles’ position has been consistent he always has opposed same-sex unions. Mendel also questioned the section in the law that blocks recognition of same-sex marriages from other states, a provision she said is directly con trary to the U.S. Constitution. That was our strongest argument to the governor, that this is just buying an expensive lawsuit,’’ she said. Two Anchorage men, Jay Brause and Gene Dugan, last August filed a challenge against the state’s vital statistic agency, which had refused to issue them a marriage license. This law would not affect that case because it does not change the state’s constitution.
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Sitka, Alaska, US
Tue, May 07, 1996
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