The Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in a unanimous ruling in 2009. Now, state legislators are seeking to overturn that decision by putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would ban not only same-sex marriage, but also civil unions, domestic partnerships and any legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples. The Iowa Independent reports that 56 of the 60 Republicans in the Iowa House — where the GOP has a 60-40 majority — have signed on as co-sponsors. However, Democrats still have a majority in the Iowa Senate, and Majority Leader Mike Gronstal has vowed to block the amendment.
The statewide LGBT group One Iowa reports:
DES MOINES – An amendment that seeks to exclude gay couples from marriage was introduced in the Iowa Statehouse today. The bill (House Joint Resolution 6) seeks to amend the Iowa Constitution to exclude gay and lesbian couples from the freedom to marry. If passed through the legislature in two consecutive General Assemblies, the issue could be on the ballot as soon as 2013.
“Amending the Iowa Constitution to exclude gay couples will harm thousands of Iowa families,” said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison. “Marriage says ‘we’re a family’ like nothing else and is an important way we care for those we love. Writing discrimination into the Constitution will only divide us at a time when we need to work together to tackle common concerns. Iowans expect their elected officials to focus on issues that matter to everyone, like creating jobs, providing educational opportunities, and improving healthcare. Going backward on equal rights sends the wrong message.”
HJR6 goes beyond marriage, and would ban civil unions, domestic partnerships, and any other legal recognition of same-sex couples.
“This bill intends to forever strip basic protections from loving and committed gay couples,” Jenison said. “It goes against Iowa’s cherished tradition of protecting equal rights for all. Now is the time for Iowans to come together and send a clear message to their legislators that discrimination has no place in Iowa’s Constitution. Our legislators should continue to uphold Iowa’s long-held value of equal rights for all.”
Same ole story…When are the Christians going to realize that this is illegal. Prepare for another Prop 8 trial. I really do not understand why they keep doing the same thing over and over again, state after state, and trial after trial. Once the legal precedent has been set these people don’t have a leg to stand on. Prop 8 have already established that you cannot take away a right once its already given. Why do we have to go through this again? Don’t the Iowa statehouse know that the Supreme Court of Iowa can declare such law invalid since they have already ruled on it? What a waste of tax payers money, but thank God for Checks and Balances.