Indiana House Speaker moves anti-marriage equality bill to different committee

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma has taken an unusual move and transferred the "currently under consideration" same-sex marriage ban to a different committee — where it looks to have a better chance of passing — after the measure appeared to stall.

He said the proposed amendment to the state constitution, known as House Joint Resolution 3, will be moved from the House Judiciary Committee to the Elections and Apportionment Committee.

Democrats called the move "embarrassing."

"This is what happens when you have a really bad idea and get over committed to it," Democrat and Judiciary Committee member Rep. Ed DeLaney said. "You start breaking the procedures. You start attacking the structure of the system. That's what the speaker has done."

Senate Democratic Minority Leader Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, said, "Instead of letting hours of testimony and the democratic process play out, the Speaker of the House has decided to start the clock over.

"Sometimes the legislative process does not garner the expected result, but that does not mean one gets to change the rules in the middle of the game," he added.

The measure had a hearing last week in the Judiciary Committee, but House Republican leaders decided against bringing it to a vote amid concerns that three GOP lawmakers might vote against it and kill the amendment.

Asked if he was worried about the perception of moving the bill because it might have been defeated, Bosma said he is more concerned about the questionable path the bill appeared to be taking in committee.

Read more at IndyStar.com