Marriage license plate gets OK

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RICHMOND -- Lawmakers yesterday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would create a special license plate for supporters of traditional marriage, despite objections from Democrats who said the bill was unconstitutional.

Republicans cut off debate on the legislation after just 10 minutes, and the full House quickly endorsed the bill on a voice vote. Lawmakers are expected to take a final and recorded vote today.

Delegate Brian J. Moran, Alexandria Democrat, tried to amend the bill by deleting the word "traditional" so the plate simply would say it supports marriage.

"What we're about to buy is a lawsuit that we clearly will lose. ... That's not the way we should spend our hard-earned taxpayer dollars," Mr. Moran said. "I suspect we all support marriage, in fact, probably many of us have tried it more than once."

Mr. Moran said because the message is political, a court will rule that it is unconstitutional and require the state to create a "marriage equality" or "gay marriage" plate. His amendment was defeated.

Delegate L. Scott Lingamfelter said his bill is "neutral," not political.

"We will be giving Virginians who subscribe to the wisdom of 4,000 years of transcendent history a chance to show their support for an institution that is absolutely fundamental to any civilized society," the Prince William County Republican said. "We will also be showing our children that we understand that traditional marriage is fundamental to the way family life is organized in civilized society."

Delegate Adam P. Ebbin, the legislature's only openly homosexual member, said he opposes the bill because of its political nature.

"There is a forum on our car, and it is called the bumper, where we can put a bumper sticker that says whatever we want," the Arlington Democrat said. "I don't see the threats to traditional marriage or any kind of marriages being the other drivers on the roadway. This plate, if I understand correctly, would be available to adulterers, divorced people, those who have married multiple times, even those who engage in sex outside of a marital relationship."

Mr. Ebbin said there are more than 200 special license plates, none of which are political in nature. Several of those plates, including a "master gardener" plate that the House approved yesterday, requires an application and written proof that shows that the buyer is a "master gardener."