Group Pushes to Overturn Iowa Marriage Equality

Iowa marriage equality foes are ramping up pressure on state legislators to support a constitutional ban on gay marriage.

The Iowa Family Policy Council's Bryan English told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier that the group is asking 150 state lawmakers where they stand on a ballot measure similar to California's Proposition 8 and Maine's Question 1 -- both of which stripped same-sex couples of state marriage rights. The group also intends to hold a "two days for marriage" rally next month in Des Moines.

A proposed constitutional amendment has to be approved by the general assemblies in two consecutive sessions before it goes to voters. If the legislature does not act on the matter in 2010, the earliest the amendment could be before Iowan voters would be 2013 or 2014.

"Our passion about it is stronger than it maybe even was last April," English said, referring to the Iowa supreme court's unanimous decision to overturn a state gay marriage ban. "Folks have had a chance to think about the implications of what's going on here and they're becoming more and more convinced here that the only remedy here is to let us vote."

However, state house and senate leaders have stated their opposition to a gay marriage ban and said they do not plan to take up a resolution on the amendment next year.