Virginia House Committee Rejects Anti-Family Bill SB51

The Commerce and Labor Committee in the Virginia House of Delegates has rejected a bill that would have authorized local governments to give away one of the cherished benefits of marriage to unwed partners including homosexuals and unmarried cohabitants.

Conservatives had been shocked to see the bill known as SB51 pass the House Commerce and Labor subcommittee #2 last Thursday – - especially since three Republicans who usually support pro-family legislation voted with the majority.

On Friday, Family Policy Network (FPN) began spearheading an effort to reverse the votes of three lawmakers before the bill was to be considered by the full Commerce and Labor Committee today.

With the help of local pro-family activists in Virginia, pro-family citizens were encouraged to express their concerns to targeted lawmakers and House Speaker Bill Howell. Today’s vote to defeat SB51 included reversals by all three legislators targeted by FPN’s grassroots opposition since Friday.

FPN President Joe Glover hailed today’s vote, but credited grassroots conservatives for holding the delegates accountable. He said, “We’re certainly glad the committee did the right thing, but pro-family citizens all over this Commonwealth deserve the credit for keeping these lawmakers from stumbling. They’re really the ones who saved the day.”

The bill, known as “Senate Bill 51″ [SB51], was introduced by liberal Democrat Mary Whipple. Language like that contained in Whipple’s bill is often referred to as so-called “reciprocal beneficiary” arrangements. Under the guise of “fairness,” it would authorize some localities to give away insurance benefits to any persons designated by any local government employee. This may seem fair, but it would create an undue burden on healthy taxpayers and employees who would have to foot the bill for people who make unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Study after study has concluded that married heterosexual couples are statistically healthier, and enjoy longer lifespans than the general population. Thus, one of the benefits of marriage has always been to reward married couples with shared insurance benefits as a way to encourage more people to marry and enjoy better health and longevity.

The financial costs resulting from the health consequences associated with “alternative lifestyles” are skyrocketing, which is one of the reasons homosexual activists are fighting to gain access to this and other benefits of marriage. Unfortunately, when they gain these benefits, the price for their bad behavior is shifted to people who are wise enough to abstain from it.

Source: Family Policy Council email.