HJR-3 Update: Ok. Its complicated. HJR-3 is a bill that, if voted on, would amend the state constitution. It must be passed, with identical wording, by two consecutive general assemblies. Each general assembly serves for two years. The current GA serves in 2013-14. The ones we elect this November will serve in 2015-16. This bill to amend the constitution was passed in the 2011-12 GA. If it passed in the 2013-14 GA, without change, it would go on the ballot in Nov 2014. This is the original wording, Provides that only marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Indiana. Provides that a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized. What was voted on Monday night was an amendment to the bill to strike the second sentence. Many representatives voted against the amendment in order to preserve the original wording in HJR-3. However, 52 legislators voted for the amended bill - this will likely keep it off the Nov 2014 ballot. But there is hope for this year, yet. As of now there are at least three paths forward. If the Senate votes to add the second sentence back in, it would force the House to vote one more time this year. If they do that, and the House re-votes on the original wording and passes it, then it could end up on the ballot this year (2014). Chances? Possible, but not likely. It would require that people contact the 52 legislators that voted to amend HJR-3, and convince at least two of them to vote for the bill that they thought should be amended in the first place. Second path. If the Senate votes on the new wording and passes that, then the 2015-16 GA would have to approve it one more time (House & Senate in either 2015 or 2016). Then it would go on the ballot for Hoosiers to vote on, with the new wording, in 2016 (There is a possibility that it could go on the 2015 ballot, but very unlikely). Third, the Senate could reject the new wording OR the House could reject the Senates version (the one restoring the original wording). If that happens, then the process starts all over with the 2015-16 GA introducing a new bill, the 2017-18 GA seconding it, and voters being able to vote on it in 2018 (there is no 2017 election).
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 00:56:11 +0000
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