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(Indianapolis, Indiana) Indiana state
Republicans, hoping to hold on to control of the House, said Thursday they
intend to push the second phase of a proposed constitutional amendment that
would ban same-sex marriage.
The proposed amendment passed the House and
Senate last year (story).
It must pass a second time in 2007 before going to voters in 2008.
Indiana already has legislation banning gay
marriage but House Speaker Brian Bosma told reporters at a news conference on
Thursday that he fears the law could be overturned in court.
''If Indiana is going to make a decision to
change the definition of marriage in the future, that decision should not be
left to an appointed judge,'' Bosma said. ''It should be left to elected
legislators and citizens of this state.''
The battle over the amendment has raged for more
than two years at the statehouse.
In 2004 when Democrats controlled the House the
GOP was thwarted in a bid to pass the measure. Then-Democratic Speaker Patrick
Bauer stonewalled the proposal prompting Republicans to stage several walkouts
that tied up business in the legislature.
Bauer has since changed his position, saying
recently that if Democrats regain the House he would allow a vote, although he
personally still opposes the amendment.
The measure would define marriage as being
between one man and one woman. It would also bar civil unions, threaten
domestic-partnership benefits, and could endanger other legal protections for
unmarried families.
The amendment is one of several anti-gay
initiatives Republicans say they will push in the next session including a bill
to forbid gays and lesbians from fostering or adopting children, as well as
legislation to ban public universities in the state of Indiana from offering
domestic partner benefits.
©365Gay.com 2006
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