Virginia Lawmakers OK Proposed Gay Marriage Ban
Posted on February 26th, 2005 by Anthony K. Valley
Seventeen states have adopted constitutional gay-marriage bans, with 11 of them ratifying the measures in elections last fall.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)—A proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Virginia easily won final approval Saturday by both chambers of the General Assembly.
The measure would have to be approved again by the Legislature next year and ratified by voters in the 2006 general election before it would become part of the Virginia Constitution.
The House of Delegates voted 79-17, and the Senate voted 30-10 to pass the final version of the amendment.
Virginia law already prohibits same-sex marriages. However, many legislators argued that an amendment is necessary to ensure that courts do not force Virginia to recognize gay marriages or civil unions performed in other states.
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p(small). Source: Associated Press © 2005 Associated Press
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