February 14th, 2008 - The St. Valentine's Day Massacre of Marriage... or the day it's Protected?

Valentine's Day, the time a young man thinks of his young lady, the day an older husband shows his wife his love...
... and a day when two men, or two women, may begin to see their relationships codified in Maryland Law.

This year, it may well be the day that traditional marriage is threatened in Maryland, or protected.  The Maryland Legislature's Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is scheduled to hear testimony on that day (at 1PM)
concerning a bill to allow same-sex marriage, and other bills to protect traditional marriage.

Here's the info for the hearings on Feb. 14th...

SENATE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

                                 1:00 P.M.

 SB 168    Sen Greenip,      Family Law - Covenant Marriage
           et al
 SB 169    Sen Greenip,      Maryland's Marriage Protection Act
           et al
 SB 290    Sen Madaleno,     Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection
           et al             Act

While SB168 and SB169 would protect traditional marriage, the falsely-named 
"Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act" (SB 290) would actually degrade it.

The strategy of the pro-homosexual lobby is to re-assure Pastors that they will not 
be forced to conduct such a "Marriage" service, but to make the relationships legal.

Note that Senator Madeleno is listed in the Maryland Manual as having a...
"Partner, two children."

Here's some tidbits from the gay-rights group "Equality Maryland" as to SB 290:

Equality Maryland Applauds Introduction Of

The Religious Freedom And Civil Marriage Protection Act

Senators Madaleno and Raskin and Delegates Barnes, McIntosh, Kaiser,

Mizeur and Schuler Take the Lead to End Marriage Discrimination

CONTACT:
Dan Furmansky, Executive Director
Cell: (301) 461-4900

Annapolis, Md. – The lead sponsors of The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act announced today the introduction of this historic measure in the Senate and House of Delegates with nearly 50 cosponsors. The legislation expands civil marriage in Maryland to include same-sex couples while preserving the rights of religious institutions and leaders to perform and recognize only those marriages that are consistent with the tenets of their faith.

"For those naysayers who say that Maryland isn't ready to end marriage discrimination, I ask you, if not now, when?" said Executive Director Dan Furmansky. "Thousands of same-sex couples are denied the more than 1,000 basic legal protections of a marriage license. Granting these families the stability that marriage provides is good for their health, good for their children, and good for society."

On Sept. 18, 2007, a divided Maryland Court of Appeals ruled 4-3 it was not a violation of the state constitution to deny marriage licenses to same-couples. Within days of the decision, Senator Gwendolyn Britt and Delegate Ben Barnes announced they would serve as the lead sponsors of legislation to end marriage discrimination. Following the sudden death of Sen. Britt on January 12th, Senators Rich Madaleno and Jamie Raskin announced they would lead efforts in the Senate to pass the measure.

Hearing dates for the bills should be set in the coming week.

Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community.

Sponsors and Cosponsors of The Religious Freedom
And Civil Marriage Protection Act

SENATE (9)
Madaleno – Primary, Raskin – Primary
Forehand
Gladden
Kramer
Lennett
McFadden
Pinsky
Pugh

HOUSE (40)
Barnes – Primary, McIntosh – Primary, Kaiser – Primary, Mizeur – Primary, Schuler – Primary
Ali
Anderson
Barkley
Barve
Bobo
Bronrott
Carr
Carter
Dumais
Feldman
Frick
Frush
Gaines
Gilchrist
Gutierrez
Guzzone
Heller
Hixson
Hubbard
Hucker
Ivey
Lee
Manno
Montgomery
Niemann
Peña-Melnyk
Pendergrass
Ramirez
Reznik
Rice
Rosenberg
Stukes
Turner, F.
Valderrama
Waldstreicher

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND CIVIL MARRIAGE PROTECTION ACT

Article – Family Law
§2-201.

(A) Only a marriage between [a man and a woman] TWO PEOPLE, NOT OTHERWISE PROHIBITED FROM MARRYING, is valid in this State.

(B) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO INVALIDATE OTHER SECTIONS IN THIS TITLE

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, THAT NO OFFICIAL OF A RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION OR BODY AUTHORIZED TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGES SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SOLEMNIZE ANY MARRIAGE IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION GUARANTEED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND BY THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION AND MARYLAND DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, THAT THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT OCTOBER 1, 2008.