I wasn’t able to catch up with House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, Thursday for a follow-up on the vote late Wednesday night approving same-sex marriage legislation codifying last year’s state Supreme Court ruling.
But we spoke about it today.
Despite unsuccessful efforts to amend the bill – specifically Cafero wanted to make it clear parents could pull their kids out of any life sciences class that broaches the topic of gay marriage – he ultimately voted to pass it.
“I believe in my heart a marriage should be defined as a union between one man and one woman,” Cafero said. “Obviously the state Supreme Court felt differently.”
Cafero said he was pleased with the final bill because some changes were made to protect religious organizations and associations.
“Whether we met or not, voted or not – up, down, sideways – or postponed or delayed (a vote), the fact of the matter is since the Supreme Court decision the law of the land is people of the same sex can marry unless and until we change the Constitution. That train already left the station,” Cafero said. “Frankly had we done nothing (and not codified the Supreme Court ruling) religious organizations do not have those protections. So it was very much necessary for them. That’s why I voted for it.”
Unlike some of his Republican colleagues and even a few Democrats – Rep. Bruce Morris, D-Norwalk – Cafero said he was not comfortable seeking an additional amendment allowing business owners to refuse to provide services for a same-sex wedding on religious grounds.
“Frankly I have some concerns with it,” Cafero said. He argued it might be too easy for someone to use it as an excuse to discriminate.
“(Someone could say) ‘I’m the religion of Larry Cafero and we don’t like green or red people’,” Cafero said. “I was a little leary of that amendment.”
