West Virginia House Republicans will
attempt to wrench a measure out of committee that would limit
marriage to a heterosexual union in the state's constitution, the
Charleston Gazette reported.
House resolution HJR5 stalled out in
committee, but Republicans are planning a series of procedural
motions this week to bring the proposal to the House floor for a
vote.
“We have tried to work through the
process, and now the time is running out,” House Minority Leader
Tim Armstead, a Kanawha Republican, told reporters Monday.
The resolution was introduced on
January 13 by Democratic Delegate Harold Michael and would forbid
recognition of gay couples with civil unions or domestic
partnerships, in addition to marriage.
Democrats, who control the West
Virginia House with an overwhelming majority, accused Republicans of
“political grandstanding.”
“The Republicans only seem to want to
score election year points by trying to force debates on votes on
issues like gay marriage,” Democratic Chairman Nick Casey said in a
press release titled GOP Plotting to Circumvent Legislative
Process. “The people of [West Virginia] expect Republicans and
Democratic legislators not to waste a week of legislative time and
taxpayer money on politics.”