EL SALVADOR: Legislature Advances Bans On Gay Adoption And Marriage

Via the Associated Press:

A bill that would ban same-sex marriage in El Salvador has won preliminary approval from the legislature. A package of constitutional reforms approved Thursday night also would bar same-sex couples from adopting children. The reforms will not take effect unless they are ratified by a two-thirds majority in the next legislative session, which will open on May 1. That would mean the changes would have to win support from at least 56 congressional deputies. Last night, the bills were backed by 47 of the 84 members.

In 2009 similar bans failed to become law.

EL SALVADOR: Gay Marriage Ban Fails

An attempt to place a ban on same-sex marriage into the national constitution has failed miserably in El Salvador.

According to Spanish news agency EFE, only 19 out of 84 lawmakers on Friday voted in favor of the ban. The measure, which cleared the chamber in 2012, defines marriage as between a man and a woman and their children. It also sought to prohibit El Salvador from recognizing the foreign marriages of gay couples and bans gays from adopting children. A constitutional amendment requires the approval of two consecutive legislatures; a simply majority (43 votes) during the first reading followed by a supermajority (56).

RELATED: El Salvador is the only Central American country that allows gays to serve openly in its armed forces.