Iowa House Majority Leader says bill to ban gay marriage 'may be filed'
Wed. January 16, 2013 8:11 AM by Carlos Santoscoy
Des Moines, IA -
Iowa House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer on Monday would not rule out another attempt at passing a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to heterosexual couples.
Gay marriage celebrated its third anniversary in Iowa on April 3, the date the Iowa Supreme Court handed down its unanimous decision legalizing such unions.
In 2011, the Republican-led House approved the amendment but Democrats in the Senate blocked it from consideration.
Talk on the issue among Christian conservatives has died down since November's election. After successfully organizing against three Supreme Court justices in 2010, opponents came up short in their attempt to remove Justice David Wiggins from the bench.
"Although the November election didn't go the way we planned, we are very optimistic about this session and you can be assured that we will enthusiastically represent your pro-family, pro-constitutional values at the Statehouse," Bob Vander Plaats, the executive director of The Family Leader, which spearheaded the campaign to oust Wiggins, said in an email to supporters.
Vander Plaats, whose lament was also a reference to the Senate remaining in Democratic hands, also disclosed in his email a legislative agenda which made no mention of the marriage amendment.
Yet, when asked on Monday, Upmeyer would not rule out another attempt.
"What about gay marriage and abortion?" a female reporter asked.
"We don't know what bills will be filed but, um, there may be some bills filed," she said, looking away from the reporter and toward House Speaker Kraig Paulsen.
"Don't know at this point," she added.
According to a Des Moines Register poll released last February, a majority (56%) of Iowans oppose the marriage amendment.
Gay marriage celebrated its third anniversary in Iowa on April 3, the date the Iowa Supreme Court handed down its unanimous decision legalizing such unions.
In 2011, the Republican-led House approved the amendment but Democrats in the Senate blocked it from consideration.
Talk on the issue among Christian conservatives has died down since November's election. After successfully organizing against three Supreme Court justices in 2010, opponents came up short in their attempt to remove Justice David Wiggins from the bench.
"Although the November election didn't go the way we planned, we are very optimistic about this session and you can be assured that we will enthusiastically represent your pro-family, pro-constitutional values at the Statehouse," Bob Vander Plaats, the executive director of The Family Leader, which spearheaded the campaign to oust Wiggins, said in an email to supporters.
Vander Plaats, whose lament was also a reference to the Senate remaining in Democratic hands, also disclosed in his email a legislative agenda which made no mention of the marriage amendment.
Yet, when asked on Monday, Upmeyer would not rule out another attempt.
"What about gay marriage and abortion?" a female reporter asked.
"We don't know what bills will be filed but, um, there may be some bills filed," she said, looking away from the reporter and toward House Speaker Kraig Paulsen.
"Don't know at this point," she added.
According to a Des Moines Register poll released last February, a majority (56%) of Iowans oppose the marriage amendment.
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine