HOUSE REPUBLICANS ACT TO BAN SAME-SEX MARRIAGES

Missouri House Republicans want to ban same-sex marriages in the state.

Some 60 GOP lawmakers sent a letter Thursday to Steve Gaw, the speaker of the House, urging him to bring such legislation to the floor for a vote. The group includes Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson.

They say the ban is needed in light of a court ruling in Hawaii that is expected to force that state to legalize same-sex marriages.

"This is not an issue whatsoever of gay bashing," said Mark Richardson of Poplar Bluff, a lawyer and House Republican floor leader. "This is an issue of legal and economic ramifications."

Richardson and other Republican lawmakers worry that same-sex marriages would be a burden in everything from welfare to health insurance.

Rep. Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston, dismissed the Republican move as election-year politics.

Richardson said Missouri has no clear law on same-sex marriages.

Homosexuals married in Hawaii would have to be recognized as legally married by other states such as Missouri unless they specifically banned it, said Richardson.

Twenty-one states currently ban such marriages. Five imposed the ban this year.

Missouri is among 18 states where legislation is pending to ban same-sex marriages.

"There are serious economic perils if we fail to act," House Republicans said in the letter to Gaw.

"Homosexual couples could adopt children, and in our already overburdened welfare system, these newly created `families' must be covered under Medicaid, welfare, and Aid to Families with Dependent Children," the letter said.

The Republicans said Missouri homosexuals could be married in Hawaii and return home to become foster parents, earning state aid.

Employers would have to provide health insurance to cover gay spouses. That would lead to higher health insurance rates since homosexuals are a high-risk group, in part because of AIDS, the lawmakers said.

Schwab said Friday that the state could be faced with a flood of lawsuits over who is eligible for pension plans and health care benefits.

"I think we would open up a can of worms as far as health benefits, pensions, and other services that are supplied to the family," he said.

Schwab said House Republicans introduced a measure early in this legislative session to ban same-sex marriages, but the bill has never made it to the House floor for a vote.

"It appeared to us that there was no movement from the other side to bring it up," said Schwab.

Some House Democrats, including Heckemeyer, filed a similar bill last week on the last day legislation could be introduced for this session. Heckemeyer said Democrats did so because they don't want Republicans to use the issue against them in elections this year.

Heckemeyer doesn't support gay marriages. But he doesn't view the issue as one the legislature needs to address this session. He accused Republicans of using scare tactics.

With the legislative session set to end May 17, Richardson said there is no chance either measure will come up for a vote unless the speaker acts.

Richardson said Republicans are willing to move ahead with either bill. He said polling data indicate that most Missourians oppose same-sex marriages.

Gaw was in meetings in Jefferson City Friday and couldn't be reached for comment. But Richardson said the Moberly Democrat told him he wouldn't move such legislation ahead of other bills.