Indiana's marriage amendment to make a comeback?
Filed by: Bil Browning
December 3, 2008 10:00 AM
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/12/indianas_marriage_amendment_to_make_a_co.php (http://www.bilerico.com/2008/12/indianas_marriage_amendment_to_make_a_co.php)
Could Indiana's constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions make a comeback after all? While I wrote yesterday that the marriage amendment's chances were slim according to the Indianapolis Star, WIBC radio has a different story to report. The radio station says that the amendment will be back, but in a modified version to try and stymie activist's arguments against the ban.
Opponents in 2007 argued the proposal would have unintended consequences, such as making it impossible to file domestic violence charges involving unmarried heterosexual couples. Supporters disagreed, but with the amendment starting from scratch, Marion Representative Eric Turner says he's tweaked the wording to answer those objections.
Turner says the new version is modeled on amendments in other states which have stood up to similar scrutiny.
Turner notes about half of House Democrats voted for the amendment in 2005, and says he expects some Democrats to file their own version of an amendment this year. He says he hopes they'll be able to persuade [House Speaker Pat] Bauer to allow a hearing.