Date: 16 Feb 96 08:09:10 EST From: "Anthony N. Siksai" <75052.3711@compuserve.com> This is a list of the Michigan Representatives and Senators to contact regarding the Divorce reform bill introduced into the Michigan House by State Rep. Jessie Dalman, R-Holland. The bill is currently before the House Judiciary Committee. As soon as I know when it will be reported out of committee, I will upload the information so that constituents can contact their individual legislators. It is very important to be aware that our best chance to kill this bill will be in the House. If the bill passes the House, passage in the Senate is virtually assured unless the bill can be killed in committee. Also, Gov. Engler has given every indication that he will sign the bill into law, and it is no doubt that encouragement which prompted Rep. Dalman to introduce the bill into session. At this time, it is IMPERATIVE that we not tip our hand and ask our legislators to introduce legislation allowing same-gender marriage in Michigan. That would blow us out of the water in terms of being able to prevent pre-emptive legislation. It is also important that, at least with some legislators, we understate the effect this bill will have on the L/G/B community. Since there has obviously been an oversight in putting in a rider preempting same-sex marriage rights, we don't want to call the oversight to our legislators' attention and have somebody slip that in as an amendment. Also, as we anticipate the impending right to marry, we must be realistic and realize that, given today's social pressures and climate, at least 30% of same-gender marriages will probably end in divorce. Not only is the freedom to marry important, so is the freedom to divorce. Being the realistic (some say cynical) person that I am, I fully realize the burden of marriage, and the fact that some marriages will end up in divorce after the partners realize that they aren't as compatible as they thought, or they outgrow each other, or whatever, just like hetero marriages. Listed below are some points to remember when contacting your legislator: 1. The bill being considered would erode the constitutional separation of church and state by forcing the state to uphold the religious ideal of covenant marriage. 2. The bill would also remove Michigan's leadership in the area of no-fault divorce and would reinstate the requirement that one of the marriage partners be somehow at fault (i.e. adultery, mental illness, etc.) before a judge could grant a judgement of divorce. 3. The bill would also mandate the pre-nuptial counseling which is now offered by many churches and mental health professionals, constituting a potential for invasion of the privacy of one of humankind's most private institutions. 4. The bill would also impose waiting periods for marriage licenses in all of Michigan's counties, thereby depriving the counties of part of their home rule privileges. Here is a list of the Michigan House, and the way they will vote if they get no input from their constituents: *-Judiciary committee member #-will probably vote against the bill anyway James Agee, D-Muskegon Tom Alley, D-West Branch David Anthony, D-Escanaba Paul Baade, D-Muskegon Laura Baird, D-Okemos*# Lyn Bankes, R-Redford Twp.# Michael Bennane, D-Detroit# Maxine Berman, D-Southfield# Bill Bobier, R-Hesperia# Bob Brackenridge, R-St. Joseph Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor# Lingg Brewer, D-Holt# William Bryant, R-Grosse Pointe# Willis Bullard, Jr., R-Milford Eric Bush, R-Battle Creek* William R. Byl, R-Grand Rapids Deborah Cherry, D-Burton# Nick Ciaramitaro, D-Roseville# Floyd Clack, D-Detroit*# Penny Crissman, R-Rochester# Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt* Candace Curtis, D-Swartz Creek* Jessie Dalman, R-Holland*-author/chief sponsor of the bill. Eileen DeHart, D-Westland# Walter DeLange, R-Grand Rapids Robert A. DeMars, D-Lincoln Park Barbara Dobb, R-Commerce Twp.# Agnes Dobronski, D-Dearborn# Jan Dolan, R-Farmington Hills# Bob Emerson, D-Flint# Frank Fitzgerald, R-Grand Ledge* John Freeman, D-Madison Heights# Pat Gagliardi, D-Drummond Island David Galloway, R-White Lake*# Terry Geiger, R-Lake Odessa John Gernaat, R-McBain Donald Gilmer, R-Augusta# Sharon Gire, D-Clinton Twp.# Carl Gnodtke, R-Sawyer Michael Goschka, R-Brant Michael Green, R-Maryville Michael Griffin, D-Jackson David Gubow, D-Huntington Woods# Dan Gustafson, R-Williamston Beverly Hammerstrom, R-Temperance Michael Hanley, D-Saginaw# Clark Harder, D-Owosso Curtis Hertel, D-Detroit# Sandra Hill, R-Montrose Paul Hillegonds, R-Holland# (MI House Speaker) Morris Hood, Jr., D-Detroit# Jack Horton, R-Lowell John Jamian, R-Bloomfield Hills David Jaye, R-Washington Twp. John Jellema, R-Grand Haven Roland Jersevic, R-Saginaw* Shirley Johnson, R-Royal Oak# Greg Kaza, R-Rochester# Thomas Kelly, D-Wayne# Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Detroit# Alvin Kukuk, R-Macomb Edward LaForge, D-Kalamazoo# Gerald H. Law, R-Plymouth* Burton Leland, D-Detroit# Clyde LeTarte, R-Horton John Llewellyn, R-Fremont Terry London, R-Marysville Allen Lowe, R-Grayling* Lynne Martinez, D-Lansing# Thomas Mathieu, D-Grand Rapids# Jim McBryde, R-Mt. Pleasant Michelle McManus, R-Lake Leelenau# James McNutt, R-Midland James Middaugh, R-Paw Paw Thomas Middleton, R-Ortonville Susan Grimes Munsell, R-Brighton Raymond Murphy, D-Detroit# Michael Nye, R-Litchfield*(Chr) Dennis Olshove, D-Warren# Lynn Owen, D-Newport Glenn Oxender, R-Sturgis Joseph Palamara, D-Wyandotte# Mary Lou Parks, D-Detroit# Charles Perricone, R-Kalamazoo Gregory Pitoniak, D-Taylor Vincent J. Porreca, D-Trenton Hubert Price, Jr., D-Pontiac# Kirk Profit, D-Ypsilanti# Gary Randall, R-Elwell Kim Rhead, R-Sandusky Sue Rocca, R-Sterling Hts. James Ryan, R-Redford*# Nelson Saunders, D-Detroit*# Mary Schroer, D-Ann Arbor*# Martha Scott, D-Highland Park# Ken Sikkema, R-Grandville Alma Stallworth, D-Detroit# Paul Tesanovich, D-L'Anse Ilona Varga, D-Detroit# Ed Vaughn, D-Detroit# Harold Voorhees, R-Wyoming Timothy Walberg, R-Tipton Ted Wallace, D-Detroit*# Lloyd Weeks, D-Warren# Howard Wetters, D-Kawkawlin Deborah Whyman, R-Canton# Karen Willard, D-Algonac*# Tracey Yokich, D-St. Clair Shores# My estimate is that we optimistically have 52 votes out of 109 House Members. While there is a good chance that the vote will be close, as of yet, we don't have a majority. A lot of the Dems and Republicans in rural/small town areas also have to contend with a strongly entrenched Religious Right machine which controls the political party machinery in those areas, regardless of party. Take nothing for granted about your rep-even if they're marked as probably being against the bill, let them know they have your support to do the right thing and vote against the bill. The picture in the Senate is even grimmer: Loren Bennett, R-Canton Jim Berryman, D-Adrian# Michael Bouchard, R-Birmingham Dianne Byrum, D-Onondaga Doug Carl, R-Mt. Clemens John Cherry, D-Clio Jon Cisky, R-Saginaw* Joe Conroy, D-Flint# Ken DeBeaussaert, D-Mt. Clemens# Dan DeGrow, R-Port Huron Christopher Dingell, D-Ecorse*# Mat Dunaskiss, R-Lake Orion Joanne Emmons, R-Big Rapids# Harry Gast, R-St. Joseph Robert Geake, R-Northville* Joel Gougeon, R-Bay City George Hart, D-Dearborn# Philip Hoffman, R-Horton Dave Honigman, R-W.Bloomfield# Don Koivisto, R-Ironwood George McManus, R-Traverse City# Arthur Miller, D-Warren# Walter North, R-St. Ignace Michael O'Brien, D-Detroit# Gary Peters, D-Pontiac*# Dick Posthumus, R-Alto Mike Rogers, R-Howell* Bill Schuette, R-Midland John Schwarz, R-Battle Creek# Dale Shugars, R-Portage Alma W. Smith, D-Salem# Virgil C. Smith, D-Detroit# Henry E. Stallings II, D-Detroit# Glenn Steil, R-Grand Rapids Leon Stille, R-Spring Lake William VanRegenmorter, R-Hudsonville* Jackie Vaughn III, D-Detroit# Joe Young, Jr., D-Detroit*# In the Senate, we might possibly have 17 votes out of 38 Senators-just over 1/3. Not good odds at all. This is why it is imperative that we do contact our legislators and make sure that we can drum up as much support as possible to kill this legislation. Legislators addresses can be found on the Michigan State Government server: http://www.migov.state.mi.us Thanks for your help, Noel Siksai