Committee advances gay-marriage ban to Ind. House

[Newsjock]

Source: WRTV

A panel of Indiana lawmakers has approved a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage, sending the measure to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The House Elections Committee voted 9-3 to advance the measure Wednesday evening. The vote followed weeks of intense lobbying, emotional testimony and widespread uncertainty on the issue.

The House Judiciary Committee originally was assigned to consider the ban, but the measure stalled amid concerns from that panel's Republicans. GOP House Speaker Brian Bosma stepped in Tuesday and re-assigned the bill to the Elections Committee.

If the measure passes the General Assembly this session, it would go before Indiana voters in November.

Read more: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/committee-advances-gay-marriage-ban-to-ind-house

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Statement from Freedom Indiana on passage of HJR-3 through “replacement” legislative committee
http://www.freedomindiana.org/statement-from-freedom-indiana-on-passage-of-hjr-3-through-replacement-legislative-committee/

Freedom Indiana campaign manager Megan Robertson issued the following statement on today’s vote to approve HJR-3, Indiana’s divisive, anti-freedom marriage amendment, through a new committee with barely 24 hours notice.

House Speaker Brian Bosma announced yesterday that the amendment would be moved from the House Judiciary Committee, which heard hours of testimony last week before recessing without a vote, to the House Elections and Apportionment Committee. He made it clear the committee switch was to make sure there would be enough votes to move the amendment to the House floor.

“We’re disappointed, but we’re more disappointed in the jury-rigged process than the outcome today. The traditional legislative path for this divisive amendment was completely upended when Speaker Bosma decided he had to switch committees to shore up enough Republican votes to move it to the floor.

“But we are not deterred, and we will continue our fight against HJR-3 for as long as it takes to defeat this harmful amendment.

“Lawmakers heard today from Hoosiers whose lives will be directly and negatively affected if this language is enshrined in our Constitution, and those voices will only grow stronger the longer the issue of protecting our friends, neighbors and families is up for debate.”

[allan01]

1. why do they keep doing this only to have these shot down in the courts

its about time this country live up to its creeds pledges and preamles or shut it down

[Roarybeans]

2. Because they can

[AngryOldDem]

3. I watched some of the hearing today.

I also posted this in the Indiana forum, but I think it deserves a wider audience:

Watching the meeting today, I learned a few things. 1) It is government's role to keep the institution of marriage intact because it is the only way to raise happy and healthy kids. 2) Civil unions would also be illegal, but denying same-sex couples the same benefits, etc., that married couples have would also be illegal. (If anyone can explain that bit of fine logic to me, please do.) 3) People who are gay or divorced are just plain fucked up -- mentally, emotionally, physically, you name it. 4) Yes, Virginia, you CAN change your sexual orientation. Just ask the former lesbian who testified. 5) Indiana's future absolutely depends on this making it into the constitution.

I take heart in the knowing that this POS legislation will most likely be ruled unconstitutional. But it is a disgrace, all the same. Shame on Bosma for making this end run around an amendment that most (thinking and aware) people don't want.

Ed DeLaney, an Indianapolis rep, called this stunt the best way Brian Bosma has of killing any kind of opposing argument on this -- which shows you where most people stand on it.

Utterly disgusting. I had to stop watching, the misinformation and bullshit were just too much.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. For gay people, taxation without representation, and infringement on life, liberty, and the pursuit

of happiness.