POLITICS

All four Utah reps voted for marriage equality bill, senators’ votes unknown

Jul 20, 2022, 7:16 PM | Updated: Jul 26, 2022, 2:51 pm

A West High School employee holds a Pride flag and an updated Pride flag that includes colors for t...

A West High School employee holds a Pride flag and an updated Pride flag that includes colors for the transgender community and people of color, during a protest against Utah Legislature's passage of HB11, which bans transgender girls from participating in female school sports, in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 6, 2022. (Laura Seitz/ Deseret News)

(Laura Seitz/ Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act, with all four of Utah’s Republican representatives voting in favor of the bill.

Reps. John Curtis, Blake Moore, Burgess Owens and Chris Stewart voted with 43 other GOP House members in a bipartisan 267-157 vote to pass the act.

House passes same-sex marriage bill in retort to high court

After the vote, Curtis said in a statement that he believes the Supreme Court has no intention of reversing the right to marriage presented in the Constitution.

“That said, I also understand how important codifying these protections are to many Utahns. I do not believe the federal government should infringe upon an individual’s decision about who they wish to marry,” he said in the statement.

None of Utah’s other congressmen gave a statement or posted on social media about the act’s passing.

Utah LGBTQ+ advocates praised all the representatives for their votes and called on Utah’s two senators to follow suit.

Sen. Mitt Romney spoke media about his Great Salt Lake Recovery Act, and during the interview, KSL.com asked him about his possible vote on the Respect for Marriage Act as it makes its way to the Senate.

“(In) my own view, we know that same-sex marriage is the law today given the Supreme Court’s decision. I don’t see any challenge to that coming down the pipe,” Romney said.

He said the court has not taken any cases that could challenge the need for legislation, but “if it does reach my desk, I will consider it thoroughly.”

LGBTQ+ community concerned Supreme Court could revisit same-sex marriage

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, Justice Clarence Thomas released an opinion suggesting the Court could reconsider past rulings, like same-sex marriage and contraception. 

Because of this opinion, many local couples were worried about their marriages remaining legal as a trigger law is already in effect for Utah if Obergefell v. Hodges is overturned.

The Respect for Marriage Act would guarantee marriage rights for same-sex and interracial couples under federal law if passed.

KSL 5 TV Live

Politics

The town of Hideout wants to annex hundreds of acres from Summit County and Wasatch County, includi...

Michael Houck

Landowners in-between Hideout and Kamas file for township

A group of Summit County landowners filed to incorporate as a new town called West Hills Tuesday.

11 months ago

FILE - Patrons sit in a hotel bar in Eau Claire, Wis., May 1, 2019. Fourteen-year-olds in Wisconsin...

Scott Bauler

Bill would allow 14-year-olds to serve alcohol in Wisconsin

Fourteen-year-olds in Wisconsin could serve alcohol to seated customers in bars and restaurants under a bill circulated for cosponsors by a pair of Republican state lawmakers.

11 months ago

Rep. Zooey Zephyr, D-Missoula, walks out of the Montana House of Representatives after lawmakers vo...

Amy Beth Hanson and Matthew Brown

Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr sues over removal from House floor

Attorneys for Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr are asking a court to allow for her return to the House floor.

11 months ago

FILE - A statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse stands in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magi...

Mike Schneider

DeSantis board approves suing Disney in latest tug-of-war

Days after Disney sued Florida’s governor in federal court for what it described as retaliation for opposing the state’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, members of Disney World’s governing board made up of Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees have authorized a lawsuit against the entertainment giant.

11 months ago

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney speaking to Doug. (KSLTV)...

KSL TV

Sunday Edition: Utah Rep. Tyler Clancy and Sen. Mitt Romney

This week on Sunday Edition, Doug talks with Utah's youngest lawmaker, Representative Tyler Clancy, about a bipartisan supported bill he sponsored for Peace Officer Training Modification and Senator Mitt Romney about the national debt.

11 months ago

Detention facilities along the US-Mexico border have surpassed capacity amid a spike in migrants. P...

Priscilla Alvarez and Rosa Flores

Border detention facilities reach capacity amid spike in migrants

Detention facilities along the US-Mexico border have surpassed capacity as a growing number of migrants cross into the United States.

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

Stack of old laptops with dark background...

PC Laptops

Old Laptop Upgrades You Need to Try Before Throwing it Away

Get the most out of your investment. Try these old laptop upgrades before throwing it out to keep it running fast and efficient.

Happy diverse college or university students are having fun on their graduation day...

BYU MBA at the Marriott School of Business

How to Choose What MBA Program is Right for You: Take this Quiz Before You Apply!

Wondering what MBA program is right for you? Take this quiz before you apply to see if it will help you meet your goals.

Close up of an offset printing machine during production...

Les Olson IT

Top 7 Reasons to Add a Production Printer to Your Business

Learn about the different digital production printers and how they can help your company save time and money.

vintage photo of lighting showroom featuring chandeliers, lamps, wall lights and mirrors...

Lighting Design

History of Lighting Design | Over 25 Years of Providing Utah With the Latest Trends and Styles

Read about the history of Lighting Design, a family-owned and operated business that paved the way for the lighting industry in Utah.

Fiber Optical cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports...

Brian Huston, CE and Anthony Perkins, BICSI

Why Every Business Needs a Structured Cabling System

A structured cabling system benefits businesses by giving you faster processing speeds and making your network more efficient and reliable.

notebook with password notes highlighted...

PC Laptops

How to Create Strong Passwords You Can Actually Remember

Learn how you can create strong passwords that are actually easy to remember! In a short time you can create new ones in seconds.

All four Utah reps voted for marriage equality bill, senators’ votes unknown