Today, the Evansville City Council, as whole, filed a Resolution opposing House Joint Resolution No. 6 (“HJR 6”), which is the proposed State Constitutional Amendment that would narrowly define marriage as only between a man and woman.  HJR 6 would also prohibit the Courts of Indiana from recognizing the same-sex marriages of Hoosiers that occur outside Indiana.

As the Resolution states, City Council strongly believes that discrimination in any form adversely impacts Hoosier families and the ability of industry to attract the best employees.  And as it is the intent and obligation of City Council to promote economic develop in Evansville, City Council opposes HJR 6 and the negative impact that it will have on Industry’s desire to do business in Indiana.

“I am proud to co-sponsor this Resolution.  The State Legislature should spend less time worrying about how people formalize their personal relationships and a lot more time on economic development.  HJR 6 flies in the face of job creation and fails to reflect the values of a majority of Hoosiers,” said Councilwoman Brinkerhoff Riley.

Brinkerhoff Riley went on to say, “leaving legally married Hoosiers in a limbo of permanent marriage is not good public policy.  Same-sex couples divorce at the same rate as heterosexual couples.  For Hoosiers that desire a divorce, there is no mechanism in Indiana to divide property or end the marriage.  The State Legislature should be expanding access to Indiana statutes, not burying their heads in the sand, and pretending like the problem doesn’t exist.  Hoosiers can now go to Illinois and get married.  It won’t be long until Indiana has thousands of married Hoosiers that need a mechanism for divorce.”

The Resolution will be heard by City Council next Monday, December 9, 2013, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Room 301 of the Civic Center.

RESOLUTION C-2013- INTRODUCED BY WEAVER, MOSBY AND RILEY OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE COMMON COUNCIL.

A RESOLUTION BY SELECT MEMBERS OF  THE COMMON COUNCIL THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, IN

WHEREAS, in 2011, The Indiana General Assembly adopted House Joint Resolution No. 6 (“HJR 6”), which would add a new section 38 to Article 1 of the Indiana Constitution, to read as follows:

“Section 38. Only a marriage between one (1) man and one (1) woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Indiana. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of married for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized”; and

WHEREAS, to become affective, HJR 6 must be agreed to by the 2014 General Assembly and ratified by a majority of the State’s voters voting on the question at the November 2014 general election; and

WHEREAS, IC 31-11-1-1(a) already provides that, “Only a female may marry a male. Only a male may marry a female”; and

WHEREAS, on August 21, 2013, a coalition of Indiana businesses and groups announced the formation of Freedom Indiana, a bi-partisan statewide organization that opposes HJR 6; and

WHEREAS, the Freedom Indiana coalition partners include Eli Lilly and Company and Cummins Inc., each of which made a significant financial investment in the campaign to have the Indiana general assembly reject HJR 6; and

WHEREAS, a Ball State University poll shows that 58% of Hoosiers oppose the Constitutional Amendment and only 38% support it; and

WHEREAS, Indiana, Purdue, Ball State, Butler and DePaul Universities have all expressed opposition to the Constitutional Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the Democrat controlled City-County Council of Indianapolis passed a similar Resolution and it was endorsed by Indianapolis’ Republican Mayor; and

WHEREAS, the Common Council recognize that discrimination in any form adversely impacts the ability of industry to attract the best employees; and

WHEREAS, it is the intent and obligation of the Common Council to promote economic development and to insure that industry is not discouraged from doing business in the City of Evansville; and

WHEREAS, the Common Council calls on Mayor Winnecke to join in this Resolution.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,

THE COMMON COUNCIL OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA HEREBY urges the General Assembly of the State of Indiana to reject the proposed State Constitutional Amendment permanently defining marriage.

PASSED BY the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana, on the 9th day of December, 2013 on said day signed by the President of the Common Council and attested by the City Clerk.

Constance Robinson, President of the Common Council, City of Evansville, Indiana

Attest: Laura Windhorst, City Clerk

Presented by me, the undersigned City Clerk of the City of Evansville, Indiana, to the Mayor of Evansville, this day of December, 2013, at o’clock .m. for his consideration and action thereon.

Laura Windhorst, City Clerk

City of Evansville, Indiana

Having examined the foregoing resolution, I do now, as Mayor of the City of Evansville, Indiana, approve said resolution and return the same to the City Clerk this day of December, 2013, at o’clock .m.

Lloyd Winnecke, Mayor City of Evansville, Indiana

 APPROVED AS TO FORM BY TED C. ZIEMER, JR., CORPORATION COUNSEL

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