| 13 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 |
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| 14 | 14 | | AN ACT TO AFFIRM AND PROTECT MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN NORTH CAROLINA . 2 |
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| 15 | 15 | | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 1. This act shall be known as the "North Carolina Marriage Equality Act." 4 |
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| 17 | 17 | | The purpose of this act is to codify the right of all individuals to marry, regardless of sex, gender, 5 |
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| 18 | 18 | | or sexual orientation, ensuring equal treatment under the law in the State of North Carolina. 6 |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 2. Article 1 of Chapter 51 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 7 |
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| 20 | 20 | | the following new sections to read: 8 |
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| 21 | 21 | | "§ 51-5.6. Codification of marriage equality. 9 |
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| 22 | 22 | | (a) Marriage is the legally recognized union of two consenting individuals, regardless of 10 |
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| 23 | 23 | | sex, gender, or sexual orientation. 11 |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) All laws, policies, and regulations of the State of North Carolina and its political 12 |
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| 25 | 25 | | subdivisions shall be applied equally to all married couples, regardless of the sex, gender, or 13 |
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| 26 | 26 | | sexual orientation of the parties. 14 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) No state or local government entity, agency, or official may refuse to recognize a 15 |
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| 28 | 28 | | marriage legally performed under this section. 16 |
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| 29 | 29 | | "§ 51-5.7. Protection against discrimination. 17 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (a) No individual, corporation, association, or government entity may deny services, 18 |
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| 31 | 31 | | benefits, rights, or responsibilities related to marriage based on sex, gender, or sexual orientation. 19 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (b) Public officials responsible for issuing marriage licenses or performing civil 20 |
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| 33 | 33 | | marriages shall not refuse to do so based on the sex, gender, or sexual orientation of the 21 |
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| 34 | 34 | | applicants." 22 |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. G.S. 51-1.2 and G.S. 51-5.5 are repealed. 23 |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 4. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, the 24 |
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| 37 | 37 | | invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this act that can be given effect 25 |
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| 38 | 38 | | without the invalid provisions or application and, to this end, the provisions of this act are 26 |
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| 39 | 39 | | severable. 27 |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 5. This act is effective when it becomes law. 28 |
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