The state Senate added to the recent glut of controversial issue-oriented legislation Wednesday when it approved a bill that defines marriage as between one man and one woman.
The Senate voted 22 to 10, including 18 Republicans and four Democrats, in favor of the AB 475.
Although Wisconsin statutes already define marriage as between a husband and wife, supporters of the bill said it is needed to ward off judicial activism that could interpret that clause differently and allow for marriage between two of the same sex.
\We have an obligation to take this up as a Legislature,"" Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said. ""Our marriage laws and public policy is not clear.""
But detractors said the current law is explicit and AB 475 would effectively tell gays and lesbians they are second-class citizens.
""Today we're going to be sending a slap in the face to every gay person in the state,"" Sen. Chuck Chvala, D-Madison, said.
Sen. Russ Decker, D-Schofield, one of four Democrats who voted for the bill, said he did so because constituents that contacted him overwhelmingly favored of the bill.
Decker said he did not agree with some colleagues who said the bill would alienate gays and lesbians.
""I think if two people of the same sex want to live together, I think that's fine but I just don't think we need to condone that,"" he said after the vote.
The bill will now go on to Gov. Jim Doyle, who is expected to veto it. The Legislature has unsuccessfully attempted to override five of Doyle's vetoes this session. If this bill came up for a veto override, Fitzgerald said he would vote to override but Decker refused to say whether he would do the same.
Much of the Senate's debate Tuesday concerned an amendment introduced by Sen. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, the only openly gay member of the Senate.
Carpenter's amendment would have inserted the words ""neither of whom has been previously married or divorced"" after the definition of marriage between a man and woman. He said divorce is a much greater threat to families in Wisconsin than gay unions would be.
""I feel very hurt and many people in our society that showed up at [the bill's public hearing] are saying 'why are you targeting us?'"" Carpenter said.
