Wisconsin Legislators Consider Removing Language Prohibiting Same-Sex Marriage

The LGBTQ+ Caucus of the Wisconsin Legislature is taking steps to remove language prohibiting same-sex marriage from the state’s constitution and from multiple state statutes, The Hill reports.

Wisconsin state Sen. Tim Carpenter, a Democrat who is openly gay, joined with other openly LGBTQ+ legislators in the state to introduce a proposal that would remove language added to the state constitution in 2006 defining marriage as “between one man and one woman” for legal purposes.

Carpenter said during a recent press conference that “one of the worst days in the legislature was when that constitutional amendment passed.”

“Some of my colleagues came up to me afterwards and said don’t take it personal — well, it’s been personal,” he added.

Wisconsin state Sen. Mark Spreitzer, a Democrat and a co-sponsor of the bill, said on Wednesday that “2026 would be the 20-year anniversary of this discriminatory language being in our state constitution. If we act now, if we pass on first consideration this legislative session, we have the opportunity to let the people of Wisconsin repeal it before we hit that embarrassing 20-year anniversary.”

The legislators also introduced a proposal that would update language referring to spouses as husbands and wives in state marriage and family laws.

“There are many examples in our state statutes of these outdated references, including things as mundane as a husband-and-wife hunting or fishing license and things as critical to families as insurance coverage, retirement and death benefits,” Spreitzer said.

“It is long past time for our state constitution and state statutes to reflect that marriage equality is the law of the land, and has been now for over a decade,” he added.