Indiana newspaper polls on whether banning marriage equality would be good for business

The Evansville Courier & Press has a poll out asking if banning marriage equality would "help" or "harm" Indiana's business climate.

Clearly, if companies were to be able to offer benefits to same-sex couples AND if the state itself offered marriage rights, it would make Indiana able to compete for the best and brightest with no discrimination.

Here's a link to the poll.

Go kids! You know what to do...

Indiana: Senate votes to ban marriage equality & civil unions

The Indiana state Senate has just voted to approve a bill that would make marriage equality illegal.

From the Indy Star: The bill's language, which says "a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized," means that civil unions would not be recognized either.

If the General Assembly passes the measure again in 2013 or 2014, it would go to the voters in 2014, before the state constitution can be amended.  The Indiana House already approved the measure.

Current state law prohibits gay marriages. Amendment sponsor Sen. Dennis Kruse of Auburn says the measure would provide maximum protection for the basic family unit of society.

So I guess this is kind of like wearing two condoms or something...

Indiana Marriage Ban Moves Forward

A constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions is headed to the Senate floor after passing out of the Senate Judiciary Committee 7-3.

The committee voted down an amendment that would have limited the ban only to same-sex marriage, leaving the door open for Indiana to legalize civil unions in the future.

Thirty states have constitutional bans on marriage. Twenty also ban civil unions in their constitutions.

The measure has already passed in the Indiana House. The legislature will have to approve the bill a second time by 2014 in order to get it on that year's ballot, the earliest voters would see it.

Indiana may ban civil unions

Several hundred people rallied at Indiana's Statehouse in Indianapolis Monday, chanting "Nix Six," referring to the measure, House Joint Resolution 6, The Indianapolis Star reported.

The proposed legislation has passed the state House 70-26 and is set for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday, the Star said.

The measure must pass the current Legislature, then the one that will be elected in 2012, and finally get voter approval in a referendum in the 2014 general election to become an amendment to the state Constitution, the newspaper said.

The amendment would not only limit marriage to the union of one man and one woman, but would also bar civil unions or any other arrangement that would afford the same legal rights as traditional marriage, opponents said.

"Every generation has that thing they have to fight for," said Dorothy Vanore, 19, of Indianapolis, referring to struggles for women's right to vote and minorities' civil rights. "It's our turn to fight for who we want to marry."

Indiana: House approves Marriage Equality ban

In a vote of 70-26, the Indiana state House voted to approve a state constitutional amendment to not only ban same-sex marriage but "anything similar" like civil unions and domestic partnerships.

The bill now goes to the state Senate, where it look to pass there as well.

The proposal has to pass in another separately elected legislature in 2013-14 before it can go before the voters.

Sad to know that so many in Indiana like the idea of committed partners not having the same rights as straight couples.  Hospital visitation, inheritance, medical decision making...

Sure, we can go spend thousands at a lawyers office, but why should gays and lesbians have to spend all that money for a small handful of rights when heterosexual couples don't?  Seriously kids - this isn't the America we can be proud of.

Indiana: Possible marriage equality constitutional ban ahead

A constitutional amendment on marriage equality could come up for a vote in the Indiana legislature as soon as Monday.

Not only would the proposed amendment to the state constitution ban same-sex marriage, it would outlaw civil unions by stating that a legal status "substantially similar" to marriage for unmarried people is not valid.

If passed in both branches of the Indiana legislature this year, it would have to pass again in 2013-2014 before it could reach voters.

Chances are strong that it will pass since both houses of the legislature are controlled by Republicans.

Governor Mitch Daniels originally wanted the legislature to focus on the economy in this session and leave social issues alone for now.

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.