OLYMPIA – An Arlington man set out today to prevent the state from granting same-sex domestic partners all the rights and benefits it now offers married couples.
Larry Stickney, president of the Washington Values Alliance, filed paperwork for a referendum to repeal legislation known as ‘everything but marriage’ because it will mean same-sex couples and married couples are treated as legal equals in the eyes of the state.
Gov. Chris Gregoire has not yet signed Senate Bill 5688 into law but is expected to do so in the next two weeks.
Those seeking to repeal the law must turn in signatures of 120,577 valid voters to the Secretary of State by July 25 to qualify for the Nov. 3 ballot.
Stickney’s organization is part of a coalition of opposition made up of churches and religious and social conservative groups. Among them are the Faith and Freedom Network, Family Policy Institute of Washington and Christian Coalition.
Stickney said today that opponents consider the law effectively legalizes marriage for gays and lesbians in Washington.
Around the country same-sex marriage is “being achieved by judicial fiat,” he said. “This legislation kind of tees it up for that.”
Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, author of the legislation, predicted the effort would fail.
“While it’s regrettable that a referendum is being filed to undo the progress we made this session to treat gay and lesbian families the same as married families, I don’t believe that voters will decide in November to take away rights from anyone.” Murray said in a prepared statement.
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