Same-sex marriage ban passes committee

INDIANAPOLIS -- A proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage advanced out of committee Wednesday after three hours of debate and a group of gay-rights activists were escorted from the Indiana Senate gallery for singing "We Shall Overcome" in protest.\nProponents said the amendment was needed to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage from lawsuits and activist judges. Some opponents argued it was simply discriminatory, but others said a provision could have unintended consequences on laws and policies that affect all unmarried couples.\nThe General Assembly two years ago overwhelmingly approved a resolution on the amendment. It still must pass this session or the next without any changes and then be approved in a statewide vote in the 2008 general election before it could become official.\nThe Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-4 along party lines to move the proposed amendment to the full Senate, with all seven Republicans voting for it and all four Democrats against. After two attempts to amend the resolution failed, several people in the gallery stood and sang in protest.\nThey began singing softly at first, but got louder as a senator spoke in favor of the amendment before the committee vote.\nRepublican Sen. Richard Bray of Martinsville, the committee chairman, said demonstrations were out of order, and after slapping a gavel on the Senate podium a few times, the protesters were escorted out of the gallery. They continued singing for a short while in the hall, and some prayed.\nA few boos rang out from the floor as the Republicans announced their yes votes.\nThe amendment has two sections, the first saying that marriage in Indiana is solely the union of one man and one woman. The second says that the state constitution or state law cannot be construed to provide the benefits of marriage on unmarried couples or groups.\nOpponent said the second provision was vague and could be used to nullify domestic violence laws that apply to married and unmarried couples, as well as contracts that unmarried senior couples sometimes have to retain inheritances and share legal, financial and health-care decisions.