HB 272, the Defense of Marriage Act has been assigned to the Ohio Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee.  The bill is on an extremely fast track.  The bill is going to have a hearing on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 at 1:00 PM in the Finance Hearing Room in the Ohio Senate AND on Wednesday, January 21, 2004 at 9:00 AM in the Finance Hearing Room.  

THE BILL IS MARKED FOR A VOTE ON WEDNESDAY. We need to take action now!!

Contact via email or phone members of the Committee to let them know that this legislation is bad for Ohio business and would affect unmarried partner households in Ohio, which, according to the 2000 census, make up 5.2% of Ohio's population.  

HB 272 is additionally unnecessary since Ohio law already explicitly states that marriage is between one man and one woman.  This is discriminatory and unnecessary language that will threaten the benefits currently offered by at least 53 public and private employers in Ohio.  Members of the Finance Committee need to vote NO on HB 272.

Members of the Committee:

Senator Bill Harris -- Chair 614-466-8086 SD19@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Joy Padgett 614-466-8076 sd20@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator John Carey 614-466-8156 sd17@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Ron Amstutz 614-466-7505 SD22@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Louis Blessing 614-466-8068 lblessin@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Randy Gardner 614-466-8060 ra_gard@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Jay Hottinger 614-466-5838 SD31@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Steve Austria 614-466-3780 sd10@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Steve Stivers 614-466-5981 sd16@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Democrat Members of Committee

Senator Eric Fingerhut 614-466-4583 senatorfingerhut@hotmail.com

Senator Mark Mallory 614-466-5980 SenatorMallory@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Ray Miller 614-466-5131 rmiller@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Senator C.J. Prentiss 614-466-4857 gboas@maild.sen.state.oh.us