DCBOEE to Hold a Public Hearing on the “Marriage Initiative of 2009”

The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (DCBOEE) has scheduled a special meeting to conduct a public hearing to determine whether the “Marriage Initiative of 2009” is the proper subject matter for an initiative. The hearing will take place on Monday, October 26, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in the Old Council Chamber in the One Judiciary Square building at 441 Fourth Street, N.W.

Anyone who wishes to present testimony is requested to do the following: provide your name, address, telephone number, and the name of the organization you are representing (if any) by calling the DCBOEE General Counsel’s office at 727-2194 no later than Friday, October 23.

I have pasted below the short title, summary statement and legislative text of the proposed initiative:

SHORT TITLE
“Marriage Initiative of 2009”

SUMMARY STATEMENT
The initiative, if passed, will provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in the District of Columbia.

LEGISLATIVE TEXT
BE IT ENACTED BY THE ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the “Marriage Initiative of 2009.”

Sec. 2. Chapter Forty-Three of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (Title 46, Subtitle I, Chapter 4 of the District of Columbia Official Code, D.C. Official Code § 46-401 et seq.), is amended by adding a new section providing as follows:

Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in the District of Columbia.

Sec. 3. Effective Date. This act shall take effect in accordance with the provisions of § 1-1001.16 and § 1-206.02 of the District of Columbia Official Code.