A bill that would start the process towards outlawing same-sex marriage was introduced in the Iowa state Senate Thursday, but one of the main sponsors admits it’s unlikely to go anywhere.
According to
The Iowa Independent:
The legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 2001, would amend the state’s constitution to say “marriage between one man and one woman shall be the only legal union valid or recognized in this state.”
In order to amend the constitution, the legislature must pass the resolution in two separate General Assemblies. The measure would then go to a public vote. If advocates of a same-sex marriage ban are unsuccessful in 2010, it would likely be 2014 at the earliest before the public would weigh in.
The resolution was sponsored by all 18 Republican members of the Iowa Senate. There are 32 Democrats.
The Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage last April in a unanimous decision. During the closing weeks of the 2009 General Assembly, Republicans attempted numerous procedural moves to force a vote on a constitutional ban on gay marriage, all of which were thwarted by Democrats.
Earlier this month, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said there will be no vote on a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage during this legislative session.
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“I will not write discrimination into the constitution of the State of Iowa,” Gronstal said. “I’m going to block that at every opportunity. There will be no vote on the constitutional amendment.”
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