During the budget session, House Republicans introduced a bill that would allow Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) to choose the counsel that will defend the state’s same-sex marriage ban, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Del. Mark L. Cole sponsored the House Resolution 541 and feel that Virginia and the House of Delegates “have been deprived of representation in a pending federal litigation and of a vigorous defense in their name.”
As of now, House rules do not allow the resolution to be considered, but this can easily be changed by a majority vote.
In January, Attorney General Mark R. Herring stated that he would not defend the amendment to Virginia’s Constitution that says marriage is between a man and a woman because he feels that the amendment violates the U.S. Constitution
The case will head to the 4th U.S. Circuit of Appeals in Richmond, where a three-judge panel is expected to make a ruling in the case this summer.
The Virginia Vibe 