Wyoming Anti-Same Sex Marriage Bill Stalls In Committee

A proposed amendment to the Wyoming Constitution that would specify the state would not recognize same sex marriage performed out-of-state is in trouble, legislators failing to reach a compromise Monday, reports the Billings Gazette. A conference committee of state senators and representatives failed to agree on the bill on Monday and scheduled another meeting to discuss it Tuesday. Some members say they are not optimistic they can reach a compromise before the legislative session ends later this week. The Wyoming Senate has amended the House bill to specify that same-sex couples who enter civil unions in other states would have access to the Wyoming court system to resolve any disagreements that arise in their relationships, however the House version of the bill would not allow same-sex couples access to the courts. Representative Amy Edmonds (Republican-Cheyenne) is leader of the House negotiating team, and she said at Monday's conference meeting that she would only agree to a deal that fully embraced the House's position. The Senate conferees rejected that proposal. "The problem with this bill is that the two chambers are so polar opposite," Edmonds said after the meeting. "It's almost impossible, as you can see from the number of conference committees that we're having, and by the fact that we can't come to a middle ground." Although current Wyoming law defines marriage as existing only between one man and one woman, it also says the state will recognize marriages performed elsewhere. With an increasing number of other states and foreign countries recognizing same-sex marriages, some Wyoming lawmakers say they see the need to change state law. Governor Matt Mead, a former United States Attorney, has said same-sex couples should have access to the state's court system. The Senate earlier this month amended the House bill to specify that couples who enter same-sex civil unions or other formal relationships that wouldn't be recognized as marriage in Wyoming could still access the courts in the state. A similar Senate bill that would have allowed Wyoming voters consider whether to change the state Constitution to specify that marriage in the state exists only between one man and one woman died Friday after the House failed to consider it before a procedural deadline.