By Journalist Teyte Holcomb (OSU).
The OIL Senate just passed Representative Hensley’s (OU) bill, even among some controversy inside the chamber.
House Bill No. TU-501, better known as the “Honoring Marriage” Act of 2023, seeks to amend 43 O.S. § 3A and 43 O.S. § 3.1. The first amendment seeks to change the language of 43 O.S. § 3A by striking out the language “of the opposite sex” and adding the language of “another.” As well, 43 O.S. § 3.1 would be amended to add the language “or sex” to encompass all genders of marriage.
While the bill ultimately passed the Senate, it wasn’t without some debate.
Brady Robinson (SE) said he thinks the bill isn’t gonna do anything that isn’t already legal in the state of Oklahoma.
“I considered it a waste of time,” Robinson said. “We’re codifying something that has already been codified by congress, so we just spent our time doing something that has no effect on the state.”
In 2015, the United States Supreme Court declared in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage was a constitutional right, making Oklahoma subject to the law as well. As of today, Oklahoma does not have any statutes that discriminate against same-sex couples, and bill author Hensley (OU) is hopeful that the passing in the Senate is the first step to making it stay that way.
“To stand in the deliberative body of this state in which I have lived for almost my entire life and have my rights affirmed was incredibly empowering,” Hensley said.
As well, Senator Colin McPhearson (OU), said he thinks that something like this bill should’ve been passed a long time ago.
“I feel like the opponency argument in saying there is no reason to do something is never the answer when developing an argument,” McPhearson said. “The bill was already written, developed and was already being heard by us, and if it was a waste of time it wouldn’t have passed the house. The fact that it had any opponency in the Senate is a tragedy in my opinion.”
The bill will now hit the governor’s desk in hopes of being signed into law.
“I am overjoyed,” Hensley said. “I am put at ease knowing that others believe people like me deserve the ability to marry who I love.”