Iowa house bans same sex marriage

The Iowa house has passed a constitutional ban on same sex marriage. Fourty one Democrats and three Republicans voted against the bill that passed by a vote of 54-44. Last year the state Senate was tied 25-25 on a constitutional ban. The senate will have to vote again on the bill and if it passes the constitution will be ammended by voter approval in 2008. Democrats have remarked that it will fail in the Senate.

Democratic response:

"The message we are sending . . . is it's OK to discriminate against someone with a different sexual orientation," said Rep. Ed Fallon, a Des Moines Democrat. "There is no gay agenda, but a well-funded anti-gay agenda."

Rep. Bruce Hunter, D-Des Moines, said the proposed amendment would violate the personal liberty and human rights of gay and lesbian couples.

"This is legislation by fear," he said. "I trust the judges that oversee our justice system. If a judge oversteps their bounds, we have the checks to bring that judge back into compliance."

Rep. Vicki Lensing, D-Iowa City, said a constitutional amendment would deny gay and lesbian couples the right to make decisions for a partner in a medical emergency, the right to take leave from work for a serious illness and the right to jointly hold property and pass on assets after death.

"I believe in equal rights. This is an issue of personal freedom. It is about human dignity and it is about fairness," she said. "I ask this chamber to practice tolerance today."

House no voters

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