With 60% of same-sex marriages in Iowa being from out-of-state, I agree with “Emily Geiger” at TIR – we need a residency requirement. I expressed my concern back in October about this eventuality.
I understand, but didn’t agree with the strategy at the time this decision was passed. Opponents didn’t want to give any acknowledgement to the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision. We are now a year out with another General Assembly in the books with a Governor unwilling to call a special session to remedy this.
No constitutional amendment in sight.
It’s time to look at the bigger picture nationally – we now have have over 1000 potential court challenges throughout the nation. Fortunately some of those states likely have constitutional amendments of their own, but many I’m sure do not.
I know some will say, but “that’s discriminatory” and say we’ll have to do that for all marriages. Well, if we have to, fine, but I don’t think that’ll be the case. Marriages between a man and a woman are recognized in all 50 states. Same-sex marriages are not.
A residency requirement needs to happen next General Assembly, but at this point I’m afraid the proverbial horse is already out of the barn.
Originally posted at The Des Moines Register’s From The Right