On July 14, 2009, the West Virginia Legislature held a public hearing on whether or not the people of West Virginia should be given the opportunity to vote on the definition of marriage.
The West Virginia Family Foundation (WVFF) was not permitted to provide live testimony in favor of allowing the people to vote on defining marriage as only between “one man and one woman”, despite initiating and leading this special project beginning on January 30, 2006. (HJR-106)
WVFF was sidelined from providing testimony, we believe in part, because of the strong animosity held by former House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster (Kanawha-32nd District) toward our organization for successfully defeating pro-homosexual legislation in her committee over the years.
We also believe we were unable to provide testimony because our Marriage Protection Amendment would prohibit “civil unions” and “domestic partner benefits”, which would legally afford homosexuals all the benefits provided to married couples, just under different names.
In 2008 we were told there was opposition to our Marriage Protection Amendment for this very reason. In addition, we were told consideration would be given to a constitutional amendment if the language did not prohibit "civil unions" and "domestic partner benefits".
Although WVFF was not permitted to provide live testimony, Chairman Ray Lambert attended the public hearing and requested that our remarks of the urgent need for legislators to afford West Virginians the opportunity to vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment be included into the official proceedings.
Click here to download our prepared remarks delivered at the public hearing on behalf of marriage.