This morning I received the text of the proposed amendment concerning homosexuality from Jarlawah Tonpo, Director of Press and Public Affairs of the Liberia Senate. Offered by former First Lady, Sen. Jewel Taylor, the amendment has not yet been debated and is not law. No date has been set for debate or vote. Both Houses of the legislature would need to pass the bill to send to the President for signature or veto. I wrote about this bill and a companion bill in their House last week.
As far as I can determine, in Liberia penalties for a First Degree Felony can range from 10 years in prison to death. The amendment is short and without definitions.
SENATOR TAYLOR’S PROPOSED AMENDMENT
TO THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS LAW OF LIBERIA
LAW AS CURRENTLY STATED
DOMESTIC RELATIONS LAW
Sub section 2.3 who may not marry
“No marriage shall be contracted between persons, one or both of whom has a spouse still living; not
between an ancestor and a descendant, a brother and sister of either the whole or the half blood, an uncle and niece or an aunt and nephew, or first cousins; or of persons of the same sex.
AMENDMENT
To Amend and restate Section 2.3 of the Domestic Relations Law to provide for the prohibition of same sex marriages in Liberia.
It is enacted by the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia, in Legislature assembled:
Section 1:
That from and immediately after the passage of this Act. Section 2.3 of the Domestic Relations Law is hereby amended and restated as follow:
This prohibition shall apply whether the prescribe relatives are legitimate or illegitimate. No one shall give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any one which represents a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of the Republic.
Section 2:
No two persons of the same sex shall have sexual relations. A violation of this prohibition will be considered a first degree felony.
This Act shall take effect immediately upon publication into Handbills.