Puerto Rico Governor Would Sign Marriage Ban

Puerto Rico's governor announced Wednesday that he will not block a referendum to ban same-sex marriage in the U.S. territory despite his belief that the proposed amendment is unnecessary, according to USA Today.

If the measure is approved by the required two-thirds majority in the house of representatives -- the number needed to change Puerto Rico's constitution -- Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila would sign it, he said Wednesday.

The measure has already passed in the senate, but a vote has yet to be scheduled in the house.

Resolution 99 would strictly define marriage as a heterosexual institution and would ban other types of unions for gays and lesbians. The governor, who is a critic of the amendment, said it is unnecessary because local laws ban same-sex marriage. Recently, however, Acevedo Vila told leasers of an association of 2,300 churches that he would sign the bill.

"I told them that the people need more agendas that unite them rather than divide them," Acevedo said to USA Today. "But I also told them that if they have two thirds of the legislature, well, I cannot get in the way." (The Advocate)