House passes HJR 3

House Joint Resolution 3’s winding path through the Indiana House of Representatives ended Tuesday afternoon, but hurdles remain ahead if the state’s same-sex marriage ban is to be solidified in the constitution.
The House passed the resolution, authored by Rep. Eric Turner, R-Cicero, with a 57-40 vote.
All present Democrats and eight Republicans opposed it.
Rules for amending the state constitution require both the House and
Senate to support an amendment in consecutive legislatures and the public to approve it on the ballot.
The amendment was supported by the General Assembly in 2011, but it was heavily amended in the House on Monday.
If the Senate passes the modified version of HJR 3, it could take another set of votes in 2015 or 2016 to place the question on the ballot.
The Senate version will be heard in committee and by the full Senate in the coming weeks.
Supporters have argued that allowing voters to
define marriage as between one man and one woman in the state constitution is important to solidify existing statute.
“This shouldn’t be partisan, political,” Rep. William Friend, R-Macy, said. 
“This is personal, this is emotional. We, the voters of Indiana, wish to vote on this in the privacy of the voting booth where we can express our opinion.”
Opponents, meanwhile, have argued that HJR 3 impedes people’s rights and the ability of businesses to be competitive.
“For those of you who think you’re really
protecting marriage, is that really what we’re doing here?” Rep. Kreg Battles, R-Vincennes, said.
“Be careful what you ask for because you might get it, and you might not like it.”
But they have found common ground in one place — If HJR 3 makes it onto the ballot and Hoosier voters support it, overturning Indiana’s ban on same-sex marriage will become considerably harder.

— Michael Auslen