Virginia voters
get same-sex marriage ban

Virginia lawmakers gave final legislative approval Wednesday to a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, despite warnings the measure is so broadly worded it could have dire unintended consequences for all unmarried couples. The 28-11 senate vote, combined with the house's earlier passage, clears the way for the proposed amendment to be placed on the November ballot.

If voters approve it, Virginia will join 18 other states with constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. Most of those amendments were adopted after Massachusetts's highest court legalized same-sex marriage in 2003.

Opponents argued that the amendment is so sweeping that it could undermine contracts affecting unmarried people, including heterosexuals. Among the examples cited were insurance and joint ownership of property. "I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness today to think we are deliberately doing something so intolerant, so discriminatory, and so overreaching," said Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, a Democrat.

Same-sex marriage is already against the law in Virginia, but lawmakers said an amendment is needed as an extra measure to stave off a court ruling like the one in Massachusetts. (AP)