Madison – Today State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) released a statement on the Federal Court’s ruling which found that Wisconsin’s ban on marriage equality in the state violated equal protection under the federal constitution and fair treatment under the law.

This past weekend was one of celebration for all who support marriage equality. Wisconsin’s unconstitutional prohibition on marriage equality has been struck down by a federal court, and will allow all couples to partake in the ultimate expression of love and commitment—Marriage.
 

I call on the Attorney General to do the right thing and drop his appeal of this federal court ruling. Let us move forward in a spirit that accepts that the growing majority of Wisconsinites believe the ban on marriage equality does not reflect their belief in how the state should recognize our families.  Marriage equality’s time has come, and the Attorney General’s actions are an unnecessary waste of taxpayers’ dollars.

As the lead Senate author of legislation to repeal Wisconsin’s 2006 marriage amendment, I will continue to fight to make sure unwanted and unconstitutional barriers to marriage equality in all parts of Wisconsin statutes are eliminated.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court landmark decision in United States v. Windsor, U.S. District Courts in 11 states have declared that state constitutional amendments or statutes banning marriage equality violate the U.S. Constitution.  Twenty states and the District of Columbia now recognize marriage equality.