March 16, 2005 - Press Release

DETROIT -- In a statement issued today by Executive Director Kary Moss, the ACLU of Michigan strongly disagrees with the opinion issued today by the Michigan Attorney General regarding Proposal 2, the same-sex marriage amendment voted on in the November 2004 election. According to the opinion, benefits for the same sex partners of municipal employees, currently available in several Michigan cities, cannot be renewed in future contracts.

“Attorney General Michael Cox has shown enormous disregard for both the intent of the voters and the law on this issue and has clearly misread the amendment.  We believe that the majority of Michigan citizens did not vote to take medical benefits away from children and their parents who work for state and local government.

“The attorney general’s opinion is not binding on Michigan courts and has no legal precedent.  The ACLU is committed to challenging any legal interpretation of Proposal 2 that denies health care benefits to LGBT families.”