Last week, the mayor of Bloomington, IN presided over 13 same-sex weddings that will not be recognized by the state. (Photo Credit: Aaron P. Bernstein, The Indianapolis Star)
In 2011, lawmakers in Indiana approved a proposal for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Such amendments require passage in two consecutive legislative sessions before advancing to a referendum, which means it must be approved again during the 2013-2014 session to proceed. Indiana Republicans announced today, however, that they would not press for a vote this year, citing apprehensions that how the Supreme Court rules on marriage equality could impact the viability of the proposed change. The amendment is not dead, because they could still advance it to the ballot in 2014. A December poll showed that while Indiana voters are split on supporting same-sex marriage, a 54 percent majority opposes the amendment.
