By: Journalist Marlee Taylor (OSU)
Tynes (OSU) presented Senate Bill OSU-012 with the title “Equality to Parent” Act of 2024 on Thursday, which replaces specific phrasings within the bill to provide a better understood and inclusive bill that passed with 19 for, 2 against and 4 abstained.
The bill suggested completely striking the word “legitimate” and replacing “husband” and “wife” with “gestational carrier” and “gestational spouse,” if applicable.
Although the tallies weren’t close in numbers I was curious to see why senators voted the way they did, even the couple that went against the majority.
Katrina Briggs, an ORU zero star, said the bill had “a little bit of a discrepancy” when asked why she opposed the bill.
“The use of the word ‘legitimate,’ there were three instances that the word ‘legitimate’ was presented, and I think that should have been left in there,” Briggs said.
Briggs was one of the two who opposed this bill and felt strongly enough to completely deny the piece of legislation.
“It kind of gives some validity to the parents, and that’s why I voted no,” Briggs said in her final statement on OSU-012.
On the opposite and majority side of voting for this bill, there were plenty of individuals that I could’ve gotten a statement from, but was pointed in the direction of Senator Plane because of her eloquent way of speaking and getting her points across.
Senator Lillie Plane (TU) said she supported the bill.
“I believe the amendments made were more gender inclusive,” Plane said. “She struck a lot of gender restrictive language.”
Plane said she appreciates that the author further clarified that people who are not married would still be able to seek out IVF treatment.
“It’s also more reflective of what’s already being enforced,” Plane said. “It’s never good policy to have statutes that aren’t being well enforced, and that’s why I voted yes.”