Indiana: Marriage equality ban moves forward

From The Chicago Tribune: "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."

So not only would same-sex marriage be outlawed, but civil unions and domestic partnerships would be dead in the water as well.

As in many other states, to put an amendment up for public vote, the bill has to pass in two consecutive legislative sessions. So this bill, poised to pass in both state houses this year, would have to pass again in 2013 or 2014 to be on the ballot.

Amazing how state legislators, with many more pressing issues like unemployment and state budgets, choose to take up tax payers time with writing hate into a state constitution.