Senate advances marriage rights bill that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Senate voted to break a filibuster to push forward legislation that would help protect same-sex and interracial marriage.

With a vote of 62-37, the Respect for Marriage Act advanced.

The bipartisan bill doesn’t require all states to legalize same-sex marriage, but if Obergefell v. Hodges were to be overturned, it would require all states to recognize another state’s legal marriage.

Kristen Arnett is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and said this is just a step in the right direction.

“I'm a lesbian, so I'm out, but I have not been out my entire life. I would consider myself an advocate in both the work that I do, and then also in the community,” said Arnett.

“20 years ago, I thought I'd lose friends and family. I kept it really quiet. I've been followed down the street, I've had horrible things said to me, I've been surrounded. I couldn't just be a normal person. I had to constantly think about, was I safe? Who was I around? How would they accept me?” Arnett said.

Arnett is a part of the Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce and has been to a Pride parade every year since 2006.

“It was important for me to step into the community and support people here and get to know people rather than just exist on a superficial level as a resident,” said Arnett.

12 Republicans joined all 50 members of the Democratic caucus in the vote to advance the Respect for Marriage Act on Wednesday.

“I think the fact that Supreme Court cases are no longer just a standing model for what governs the land, surprised many of us who were not as politically informed that these things could be overturned and the rights that we have worked so hard to lobby for advocate for, have been just dismantled very quickly and very easily,” said Arnett.

Although same-sex marriage rights have been protected since 2015, Arnett said marriage rights should be made into federal law in case the Supreme Court case were overturned.

“It's super important because we really need something in 2022 that says, people of any sex in any race can get married,” said Arnett.

“I feel like every time we go to battle around whether or not gay people or different races should marry, we're having a conversation about basic human respect,” Arnett added.

Although the bill cleared one hurdle, it will still need to go through another vote in the Senate. After that, it’ll be sent to the house and if it passes, President Biden will be handed the legislation.