Friday, January 10, 2014

"This is bad law-making," but still, Rhonda Rhoads lends her name to HJR infamy.

Photo cribbed from a Pence for President web site. Seriously.

Corydon must be so very proud today.

Indiana lawmakers pick up fight over same-sex marriage ban, by Barb Berggoetz and Tony Cook (Indy Star)

The fiery debate over a state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage is headed for a hearing Monday, but an effort by Republican lawmakers to quell some concerns about the measure could further muddy the issue.

After months of laying low on the proposal, House Republicans filed a resolution Thursday that would send the amendment to voters in November.

But they also introduced a wildcard: A companion measure, House Bill 1153, that seeks to clarify the amendment's intent ...

 ... Indiana's proposed amendment, now called House Joint Resolution 3, is being sponsored by Republican Reps. Eric Turner of Cicero; Tim Wesco, Osceola; Wes Culver, Goshen and Rhonda Rhoads, Corydon ...

 ... "You're admitting there's a problem with the amendment," said Megan Robertson, campaign manager for Freedom Indiana, a coalition fighting the proposal. "They are playing political games with the state constitution."

Legal experts echoed some of those concerns.

Drobac, the IU law professor, questioned why lawmakers in support of the ban needed to tack on an extra bill if their previous claims that the amendment would not affect issues like domestic partner benefits were true.

"This is bad law-making. These lawmakers should know what they're doing," she said. "We need legislation that is clear and comports with law-making procedure. Proponents will profess what it does, but it will have to be litigated."

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