Anti-Gay Amendment Advances In Arizona

y 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: April 23, 2008 - 11:00 am ET

(Phoenix, Arizona) A proposed amendment that would prevent same-sex couples in Arizona from marrying has passed the House and if approved in the state Senate will appear on the ballot in November.

The measure gained preliminary passage Tuesday in the House and following the technicality of a roll-call vote will be sent to the Senate.

The proposed amendment defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The measure has had a roller coaster ride in House.

Earlier this month, just before the House was to vote Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D) added a clause to the bill that would grant unmarried couples, both same and opposite-sex, many of the rights of marriage but without the name. (story)

With the additional clause in place the House voted 28-27 to give the measure preliminary approval. The bill's chief sponsor in the House, Jim Weiers (R), angrily denounced the maneuver and dropped the bill from a final vote saying the change in the bill made the ban on gay marriage meaningless.

Last week Weiers re-introduced his original bill. The House approved it Tuesday on a voice vote without discussion.

This time Sinema did not add the additional clause.

The proposed amendment is narrower that one defeated by voters in 2006.

That attempt, in addition to nixing gay marriage, would have barred civil unions and blocked all three levels of government from offering domestic partner benefits.

Public opinion polls have showed that while most people in the state oppose same-sex marriage they do not want to enshrine that in the constitution.