Hearings on Iowa Marriage Ban Begin

An Iowa house subcommittee will hold the first hearings Monday afternoon on an amendment that would repeal recognition of same-sex marriages and ban civil unions, domestic partnerships, and other forms of recognition in the state.

The Iowa Independent reports on House Joint Resolution 6, which is cosponsored by 56 of 60 Republicans in the Iowa house. It aims to invalidate the unanimous state supreme court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in 2009.

"The subcommittee that will meet today is made up Republicans Dwayne Alons and Chris Hagenow and Democrat Beth Wessel-Kroeschel," reports the Independent. "The full judiciary committee is scheduled to consider the bill today at 4 p.m. Republicans have a 12-9 advantage on the committee and a 60-40 majority in the full House."

The resolution is widely expected to pass the house, but senate majority leader Mike Gronstal, a Democrat, has vowed to never allow the measure to be debated in his chamber. The resolution would need to pass both the house and senate in two consecutive sessions before the amendment could be placed on the ballot for voters' consideration.