Jefferson City, Missouri -
The Missouri House on Thursday passed a proposed constitutional amendment barring gay marriage.
The measure passed 124-19 and now moves to the Senate where a similar bill has already been passed.
Committees will now "harmonize" the two bills for a final vote in each house. Supporters of an amendment say they intend to speed the process through so hat it reaches voters in November, unless Gov. Bob Holden sets the matter for a special election before then.
The Senate version would amend the Missouri Constitution to state: "That to be valid and recognized in this state, a marriage shall exist only between a man and a woman."
The House proposal also says marriage shall only be between a man and a woman, but goes further, saying that the state won't recognize anything "treated as a marriage" in other states or countries, other than one between a man and a woman.
Missouri already has a state law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, but amendment proponents say it isn't enough to prevent judges from overturning it.
Throughout debate legislators who support the amendment pointed to the court decision in Massachusetts which will allow gay marriages to commence next month.
©365Gay.com® 2004
The measure passed 124-19 and now moves to the Senate where a similar bill has already been passed.
Committees will now "harmonize" the two bills for a final vote in each house. Supporters of an amendment say they intend to speed the process through so hat it reaches voters in November, unless Gov. Bob Holden sets the matter for a special election before then.
The Senate version would amend the Missouri Constitution to state: "That to be valid and recognized in this state, a marriage shall exist only between a man and a woman."
The House proposal also says marriage shall only be between a man and a woman, but goes further, saying that the state won't recognize anything "treated as a marriage" in other states or countries, other than one between a man and a woman.
Missouri already has a state law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, but amendment proponents say it isn't enough to prevent judges from overturning it.
Throughout debate legislators who support the amendment pointed to the court decision in Massachusetts which will allow gay marriages to commence next month.
©365Gay.com® 2004
This article originally appeared on 365gay.com. Republished with permission.
