A group of Iowa House Republicans offered a bill today that will no doubt have One Iowa furious.
House File 101 was offered Tuesday by Reps. Greg Heartsill (R-Melcher-Dallas), Steven Holt (R-Denison), Sandy Salmon (R-Janesville), Tedd Gassman (R-Scarville), Dean Fisher (R-Garwin), Larry Sheets (R-Moulton), John Kooiker (R-Boyden), and Ralph Watts (R-Adel). It would effectively end gay marriage in Iowa until a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman is put to a vote and the results are certified.
The amendment in question is offered as House Joint Resolution 4.
“The bill directs that the county registrar (County Recorder) shall not grant a marriage license where both parties are of the same gender until such time as an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa defining marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman is submitted to the electorate for ratification,” the bill’s explanatory statement says. “Following submission of the amendment to the electorate for ratification, if the amendment is not ratified, the provision prohibiting the granting of a marriage license where both parties are of the same gender is repealed upon the official certification of the vote.”
Another provision of HF 101 states the Iowa Supreme Court “does not have appellate jurisdiction over any prohibitions or restrictions established by the bill relating to the granting of a marriage license in this state.”
AFSCME Iowa Council 61 is the only organization to file its opposition to proposed legislation, so far.
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