OK SR62

Reaffirms Oklahoma State Senate support for traditional marriage defined as the union of one man and one woman as expressed in Section 35 of Article II of the Oklahoma Constitution and the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

References Oklahoma voters' approval of State Question 711 in 2004 with over 1 million votes (over 75% of votes cast) and the Oklahoma Senate's 38-7 vote in favor of referring the measure to voters.

Notes that 44 states currently prohibit same-gender marriage, with 31 states having constitutional provisions against it, including North Carolina which recently approved such an amendment by a 20-point margin.

Acknowledges the Defense of Marriage Act enacted in 1996 and signed by President Bill Clinton as national affirmation of traditional marriage.

Recognizes that while families take many forms, the institution of marriage itself must be upheld in its traditional form.