H*3133(Rat #0051, Act #0045 of 2005)  Joint Resolution, By Delleney, Harrison, 
Altman, Simrill, Taylor, Vaughn, Davenport, Sandifer, Barfield, Owens, 
E.H. Pitts, Rice, Clark, Walker, Toole, Viers, M.A. Pitts, Vick, Littlejohn, 
Coates, Wilkins and Mahaffey

Similar(S 89, S 183)
 A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVII OF THE CONSTITUTION
 OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, BY ADDING SECTION
 15, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MARRIAGE BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN IS THE ONLY
 LAWFUL DOMESTIC UNION THAT IS VALID OR RECOGNIZED IN THIS STATE AND TO PROVIDE
 THAT THE STATE OR ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS MAY NOT CREATE ANY OTHER DOMESTIC
 UNION AND MAY NOT RECOGNIZE A DOMESTIC UNION CREATED BY ANOTHER JURISDICTION.
 - ratified title

   12/08/04  House  Prefiled
   12/08/04  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/11/05  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-92
   01/11/05  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-93
   01/12/05  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: M.A.Pitts
   02/02/05  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Viers
   02/23/05  House  Committee report: Favorable Judiciary HJ-3
   02/24/05  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Vick,
                     Littlejohn, Coates
   02/24/05         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/01/05  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Wilkins,
                     Mahaffey
   03/01/05  House  Read second time HJ-15
   03/01/05  House  Roll call Yeas-96  Nays-3 HJ-17
   03/02/05  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-13
   03/03/05  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-20
   03/03/05  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-20
   03/07/05         Scrivener's error corrected
   03/17/05  Senate Recalled from Committee on Judiciary
   03/17/05  Senate Retaining place on calendar recommitted to
                     Committee on Judiciary SJ-61
   04/06/05  Senate Committee report: Favorable Judiciary SJ-11
   04/07/05  Senate Special order, set for 04/07/05 SJ-19
   04/12/05  Senate Debate interrupted SJ-28
   04/13/05  Senate Amended SJ-24
   04/13/05  Senate Read second time SJ-24
   04/14/05  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-46
   04/26/05  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-67
   04/28/05         Ratified R 51
   05/02/05         No signature required
   05/03/05         Copies available
   05/03/05         Effective date 04/28/05
   05/09/05         Act No. 45

(A45, R51, H3133)

A JOINT RESOLUTION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVII OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, BY ADDING SECTION 15, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT MARRIAGE BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN IS THE ONLY LAWFUL DOMESTIC UNION THAT IS VALID OR RECOGNIZED IN THIS STATE AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE OR ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS MAY NOT CREATE ANY OTHER DOMESTIC UNION AND MAY NOT RECOGNIZE A DOMESTIC UNION CREATED BY ANOTHER JURISDICTION.

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

Proposed constitutional amendment

SECTION    1.    It is proposed that Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding:

"Section 15.    A marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This State and its political subdivisions shall not create a legal status, right, or claim respecting any other domestic union, however denominated. This State and its political subdivisions shall not recognize or give effect to a legal status, right, or claim created by another jurisdiction respecting any other domestic union, however denominated. Nothing in this section shall impair any right or benefit extended by the State or its political subdivisions other than a right or benefit arising from a domestic union that is not valid or recognized in this State. This section shall not prohibit or limit parties, other than the State or its political subdivisions, from entering into contracts or other legal instruments.

Statement of the question

SECTION    2.    The proposed amendment in Section 1 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 Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding Section 15 so as to provide that in this State and its political subdivisions, a marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized; that this State and its political subdivisions shall not create, recognize, or give effect to a legal status, right, or claim created by another jurisdiction respecting any other domestic union, however denominated; that this amendment shall not impair any right or benefit extended by the State or its political subdivisions other than a right or benefit arising from a domestic union that is not valid or recognized in this State; and that this amendment shall not prohibit or limit the ability of parties other than the State or its political subdivisions from entering into contracts or other legal instruments?

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'."

Ratified the 28th day of April, 2005.