Kentucky General Assembly gave final passage to constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage recognition
On April 13, 2004, the Kentucky Senate voted 33-5 to concur in House amendments to SB 245, completing final legislative passage of a proposed constitutional amendment providing that only a marriage between one man and one woman is valid or recognized in Kentucky, and that no legal status substantially similar to marriage may be recognized for any other relationship. The Senate had initially passed the measure 33-4 on March 11, 2004, and the House passed it 85-11 on April 12, 2004. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Vernie McGaha (R-Russell Springs), was delivered to the Secretary of State as Acts Chapter 128 and placed on the November 2, 2004 general-election ballot, where voters ratified it as Constitutional Amendment 1 with approximately 75 percent in favor.