TOOLKIT

Sample Marriage Resolution for Local Governing Bodies

WHEREAS [Name of local governing body, e.g. Albany City Council] supports full legal protections and benefits for all families; and

WHEREAS [Name of locality in question, e.g. City of Albany] is comprised of many different types of families and cultures including those who have lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) members; and

WHEREAS loving LGBT couples and their children are denied equal access to marriage in the State of New York and with it the over 1,500 protections and responsibilities that government gives to other families through marriage; and

WHEREAS these literally life and death protections provided by New York State to married couples and their families include access to health insurance, joint adoption, medical decision making authority, inheritance, child custody, pension benefits, Family Court protections from domestic violence, and public support programs like Workers Compensation; and

WHEREAS on July 6, 2006 the New York Court of Appeals decided that the New York State Constitution was not offended by LGBT families being discriminated against and denied equal access to marriage, and ruled that it was the province of the New York State Legislature to remove the bar on marriage for same sex couples; and

WHEREAS there is legislation in the New York State Assembly and Senate that will provide the equal access for same-sex couples to enter into marriage and obtain all of the associated protections and responsibilities that all other married couples currently enjoy; and

WHEREAS [Names of legislators in your local delegation who are already co-sponsors of marriage equality legislation] have already taken the step of protecting [your locality]’s families by signing on as co-sponsors of the marriage equality legislation;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that [Name of local governing body, e.g. Albany City Council] supports the equal right to marriage for loving, committed same-sex couples and urges the New York State Legislature, including our entire delegation of State Assemblymembers and Senators, to advocate and vote for marriage equality legislation during this legislative session and any subsequent session until it is affirmed by a majority of the legislature, codifying marriage for all of New York’s loving, committed couples; and

We urge that this legislation provide full marriage rights equal to those granted to other married couples, so that New York’s LGBT families can have access to the same protections as all other families; and

We ask the Assembly Speaker and Senate Majority Leader to move marriage equality legislation to the floor of their respective chambers for a vote during this legislative session and any subsequent sessions until it is affirmed by a majority of the legislature; and

We urge the Governor of New York to expeditiously sign marriage equality legislation upon its passage; and

We call on other governing bodies in this jurisdiction to pass similar resolutions supporting marriage equality for same-sex couples and calling on their elected representatives to support the passage of full marriage equality legislation in the New York State legislature.