WyWatch Family Action believes that marriage was intended by God to be a life-long relationship between one man and one woman. Such marriages best promote the nurturing and equipping of children and provide the foundation for a healthy, enduring society.

There are those who would like to change the definition of marriage through the court system where unelected advocates (judges) are creating legislation against the will of the people.  Thirty states have heard the voice of the citizens and voted to amend their state constitutions to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.  The five states that allow same-sex marriage do so because three states had judges overturn legislation passed by representatives of the people, and two states had legislators re-define marriage.  In every instance where "We the People" (those who vote) were given an opportunity to protect marriage with a constitutional amendment, the citizens defined it as a union between one man and one woman.

In December 2008, a Wyoming poll of 509 registered voters (145 Democrats, 263 Republicans, 58 others, 43 No Party Affiliation) showed that 73.7% supported a constitutional amendment to define marriage as "only a union of one man and one woman".   It also showed 82.9% believed that the definition of marriage should be protected for future generations.  Last but not least, 78% beleived that the citizens of Wyoming should define marriage and not judges.  This data was similar to the 2004 University of Wyoming poll. 

Wyoming state statutes currently define marriage as a union between one man and one woman, however this statute is conflicted by another one that uses full faith and credit so Wyoming has to recognize "legal" marriage performed in other countries therefore other states as well.  So although same-sex couples cannot get married in Wyoming, they can go to Canada or Massachusettes and get married, then come back home and challenge the state statutes in the court system to have their "marriages" recognized in the court system.  Therefore, we have worked with Alliance Defense Fund and pro-family legislators to create legislation to do two things.

1. Correct the current state statues and define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

2. Bring forward a Constitutional Amendment that will give the Wyoming citizens a voice and the ability to define marriage once and for all before the judges in our court system have an opportunity to define marriag or "legislate from the bench." 

In Wyoming a Constitutional Amendment needs the vote of 2/3 of the members of the Senate and 2/3 of the members of the House prior to going on the ballot for the people to vote on the issue. 

It is vital that you contact your legislator and tell him to support legislation that will protect the definition of marriage in the great state of Wyoming as a union between one man and one woman, both as a state statute and in the form of a constitutional amendment so the citizens of Wyoming may have a voice.  (If your legislator is listed as a sponsor, there is no need to contact them.)

Therefore, we are asking you to contact your legislators and ask them to support the following two pieces of legislation:

SJ0005 Defense of marriage-constitutional amendment 

HB0074 Validity of Marriages Failed in the Senate on Concurrence Vote 14-16.  More...

Based on our goal of "Guarding Faith, Family, and Freedom in Wyoming," WyWatch Famly Action opposes the following bills:

HB0142 Discrimination Failed first reading on House floor 33-25.

HB0149 Marriage Definition Failed in committee.

HB0150 Civil Unions Failed in committee.