The state Supreme Court agreed to review the constitutional ban against same-sex marriage and civil unions of all kinds. No, the court isn’t weighing in on whether the ban is meanspirited, discriminatory and redundant. (Even though it is.) It’s going to review whether the referendum approved by the majority of Wisconsin voters in 2006 was legal or not. Seems that referendums can only ask a question about one subject, while this one combined two—same-sex marriage and civil unions.
Even if the court finds that the wording of the referendum was improper, that wouldn’t legalize same-sex marriage or civil unions in the state. Wisconsin already has a law that bans same-sex marriage (that’s why the amendment is redundant). But Gov. Doyle has proposed more benefits for domestic partners in his budget, which would help to provide some protection for these relationships.
Let’s hope the court’s ruling, which could come as early as the end of this year, is the one that removes discrimination from our state constitution.
