The Undergraduate Student Government's University Affairs Committee met Sunday night to rework the wording of a bill that would allow students to vote on whether they want ASU to support marriage equality for same-sex couples and to denounce inferior treatment of those in the LGBTQ community.
The bill would be placed on the 2012 student government ballot.
Arizona Vote for Student Equality, a grassroots movement created by journalism junior Vaughn Hillyard in May, introduced the bill to USG.
SB 17 had its first reading before the USG Senate on Sept. 20, however the senate was unable to vote on it due to issues with wording. Political science senior and USG President Jacob Goulding was concerned with the phrasing of the bill and sent it back to the UAC for revising.
“I suggested that (SB 17) head back to committee so that the referendum could be properly worded in a way that was appropriate,” Goulding said. “It seemed a little one sided.”
Despite the modification of the wording by the UAC, the ultimate future of SB 17 is questionable. Goulding is hesitant to have the senate vote on the bill due to the partial nature of same-sex marriage rights and the relative unfamiliarity with the subject within the senate.
“USG is a bipartisan organization. We represent students of all interests,” Goulding said. “This is an extremely partisan issue, and in my opinion (the USG) is not a place to take a stance on marriage.”
Goulding said he has spoken with UA USG president James Allen and NAU USG president Blaise Caudill, both of which are reported to share his opinion in regards to addressing same-sex marriage issues within the USG.
Despite Goulding’s reluctance to have the ASU USG take a stance on same-sex marriage rights, there are those within the senate who believe this is a cause worth fighting for. Sustainability junior and Vice Chair of the UAC Songling Du feels there is nothing inappropriate with addressing this issue in the USG Senate.
“(The USG) is not going to endorse (SB 17), we’re not going to be putting any comments on it,” Du said. “We’re just giving students the opportunity to vote.”
Should the bill be passed in the ASU USG Senate, students will have the opportunity this spring to vote on whether they want the ASU student body to collectively endorse marriage equality for same-sex couples and fair treatment of those within the LGBTQ community. The AVSE hopes that this will in turn prompt the Arizona legislature to reopen discussion on the topic of same-sex marriage.
Despite the uncertain future of SB 17, AVSE spokeswoman and sophomore nonprofit leadership and management major Alex Miller believes the movement could still function without support of the USG.
“I do believe that the campaign could move on its own,” Miller said. “However, I think we would have much more power and clout if the USG backed us.”
The ultimate fate of this bill is scheduled to be decided on Oct. 3, when the bill will be re-read and voted upon by the USG Senate.
Reach the reporter at doberhau@asu.edu
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
