S 0089 Joint Resolution, By McConnell, Moore, Knotts, Campsen, Hayes, Elliott, 
Alexander, Gregory, Fair, Grooms and Richardson

Similar(S 183, H 3133)
 A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 3, ARTICLE XVII OF THE
 CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO MARRIAGE, SO AS TO DEFINE
 THAT A VALID MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN ONLY AND TO PROVIDE
 THAT NO OTHER DOMESTIC UNION, HOWEVER DENOMINATED, MAY BE RECOGNIZED AS A
 MARRIAGE OR GIVEN THE SAME OR SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT LEGAL EFFECT.

   12/15/04  Senate Prefiled
   12/15/04  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/11/05  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-127
   01/11/05  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-127

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 3, ARTICLE XVII OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO MARRIAGE, SO AS TO DEFINE THAT A VALID MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN ONLY AND TO PROVIDE THAT NO OTHER DOMESTIC UNION, HOWEVER DENOMINATED, MAY BE RECOGNIZED AS A MARRIAGE OR GIVEN THE SAME OR SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIVALENT LEGAL EFFECT.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    It is proposed that Section 3A be added to Article XVII of the Constitution of this State to read:

"Section 3A.    Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in South Carolina. No other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect."

SECTION    2.    The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Must Section 3A be added to Article XVII of the Constitution of this State, pertaining to marriage, so as to define that a valid marriage is between one man and one woman only, and to provide that no other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."