INDIANA: State GOP Moving Slowly On Same-Sex Marriage Bans

Indiana GOP state Rep. Eric Turner says he will introduce a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in the new session.  A GOP-sponsored bill has already been introduced in the Indiana state Senate. However state GOP leaders say they will move slowly as the nation awaits the rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The General Assembly already overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment once in 2011. It would have to sign off on it again, this year or in 2014, and then send the proposal to voters for final approval. "We do have some flexibility between this year and next. We recognize that," Turner said. "But frankly, some of us would like to put it behind us and let the public weigh in." The Supreme Court's decision to take up a pair of cases dealing with gay marriage and employee benefits for same-sex couples has led Republican leaders in both chambers to hold back on making any plans this year. Senate President Pro Tem David Long, a Fort Wayne Republican, said he is waiting for his staff to review any impact from the Supreme Court before deciding whether to move on the issue this year. "There's no definitive decision on that as of yet," he said Tuesday.

RELATED: The Indiana Senate first approved its marriage ban in March 2011 by a vote of 40-10, one month after the House did the same by a vote of 70-26.  Those two lopsided victories brought glee to our enemies, but as noted above, Indiana has a laborious system of finalizing constitutional amendments.