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March 2005

3 entries from March 2005.

Mar 22

Indiana Senate and House passed SJR 7, first-passage constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage recognition

The Indiana Senate voted 42-8 on February 21, 2005 to pass Senate Joint Resolution 7, proposing a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman and barring any law from being construed to confer marital status or its legal incidents on unmarried couples. The Indiana House of Representatives passed the identical text without amendment 76-23 on March 22, 2005 and returned it to the Senate, completing first passage by the 114th General Assembly.

Mar 17

Tennessee Legislature gave final passage to SJR0031, proposing constitutional ban on same-sex marriage

On March 17, 2005, the Tennessee House of Representatives voted 88-7-1 to concur with the Senate's prior passage of Senate Joint Resolution 31 (SJR0031), completing the second of two legislative sessions required under Tennessee's amendment process to send a proposed constitutional marriage ban to voters. The resolution defined marriage as "a contract between one man and one woman." Placed on the November 2006 ballot as Amendment 1, it was approved by approximately 81 percent of voters.

Mar 10

Alabama Legislature passed SB109, referring same-sex marriage constitutional ban to voters

On March 10, 2005, the Alabama Senate voted 30-0 to concur in House amendments to SB109, completing legislative passage of the "Sanctity of Marriage Amendment" two days after the House passed the amended bill 85-7 on March 8, 2005. The joint resolution-style act, sponsored by Sen. Hinton Mitchem, proposed a state constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage licenses and denying recognition to any same-sex marriage, civil union, or common-law marriage formed under any jurisdiction's law, and referred the measure directly to the next statewide ballot.