INDIANA: Marriage Ban Advances

Same-sex marriage is already illegal in Indiana, but the GOP wants to make it super-extra-double illegal.

Republican lawmakers in Indiana have resumed their push for a constitutional amendment that would shore up an existing state law banning gay marriage. A GOP-ruled House committee voted 8-4 along party lines today to advance the proposal, which now moves to the full House for consideration. The amendment states that only marriage between one man and one woman is valid in Indiana, and prohibits civil unions by stating that a legal status "substantially similar" to marriage for unmarried people is not valid.

Attempts to install a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage failed in recent years, but now the GOP controls both chambers of the Indiana legislature. Similar to Iowa, Indiana law stipulates that constitutional amendments must pass in two legislative sessions before being placed on the ballot.