[Active-l] (ACTION ITEM) (PLEASE FORWARD) (ALASKA) Republicans introduce bill banning "effects of marriage" from same-sex couples

[R'ykandar Korra'ti]

	Two Alaska Republicans have introduced a bill in the Alaska State 
House and Senate to ban any marriage-like rights from same-sex couples. 
If you know anyone in Alaska, please suggest to them that they contact 
their state senators and representatives to OPPOSE this bill. I don't 
have a bill number, I'm afraid, but a general message stating 
opposition to John Coghill's or Ralph Seekin's bills on the topic 
should get the idea across.
					- Dara

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Last Frontier State Seeks to Protect Marriage
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
February 14, 2006

Lawmakers in Alaska have introduced legislation that would
override an October 2005 state Supreme Court ruling
granting spousal benefits to homosexual public employees,
The Washington Times reported.

Alaska was one of the first states to pass a
constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union
between one man and one woman. Voters approved the measure
by a significant majority in 1998.

The Supreme Court decision said that amendment "does not
address the topic of employment benefits at all."

Rep. John Coghill, R-North Pole, said the court was "off
base." He introduced a resolution Friday to restrict the
"rights, benefits, obligations, qualities or effects of
marriage" to the legal union of one man and one woman.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will present an identical
bill today, sponsored by Sen. Ralph Seekins, R-Fairbanks.