Minnesota Independent

Republican Rep. McNamara undecided on marriage amendment

By Andy Birkey | 05.17.11 | 8:00 am

Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, told the South Washington County Bulletin on Monday that he hasn’t yet decided which way he will vote on a proposal that would codify a ban on same-sex marriage into the Minnesota Constitution. McNamara sits on the House Committee on Rules and Administration, which is set to vote on the bill on Wednesday and is the last committee before the bill reaches the House floor.

Protesters oppose marriage amendment, vote set for Wednesday

By Andy Birkey | 05.16.11 | 2:53 pm

Several hundred protesters flooded the Minnesota Capitol outside the House chambers on Monday morning to urge members to forgo a vote on a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would bar same-sex marriage. As the protesters demonstrated, House members of the Rules Committee moved to put the issue on the agenda for Wednesday morning.

Religious conservatives press GOP to pass gay marriage amendment

By Andy Birkey | 05.16.11 | 8:30 am

Religious conservatives are stepping up the pressure on Republicans legislators as the final week of the legislative session approaches and a proposed amendment to add a ban on gay marriage to the Minnesota Constitution appears stalled. The Minnesota Family Council threatened Republicans that any effort to stall the bill will be redefined as a vote against the bill, while the National Organization for Marriage pleaded that if the bill doesn’t go forward it will encourage “gay marriage activists.”

Log Cabin Republicans laud Sen. Ortman’s vote against marriage amendment

By Andy Birkey | 05.06.11 | 1:08 pm

Sen. Julianne Ortman of Chanhassen earned praise for the Log Cabin Republicans on Friday after she was the lone Republican to vote to table a bill that adds a constitutional ban on gay marriage to the 2012 ballot. The motion to table was brought by Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook. Ortman had previously spoke in favor of rights for same-sex couples.

Marriage amendment headed to Senate floor

By Andy Birkey | 05.06.11 | 10:28 am

A bill that proposes a ban on gay marriage on the 2012 ballot passed the Senate Rules Committee on Friday morning and will now head to the Senate floor for a full vote. During brief testimony, DFLers on the committee raised concerns about rushing the passage of such a contentious measure this year and about its possible unintended consequences for same-sex couples.

Minnesota Capitol. Photo: Paul Weimer, Flickr

Anti-gay marriage amendment passes final House committee

By Andy Birkey | 05.05.11 | 8:57 am

A constitutional amendment that would bar gays and lesbians from marrying in Minnesota passed the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday night after brief testimony. The bill now heads to the House Rules Committee and then a House floor vote. A companion bill in the Senate is awaiting a hearing on Friday in the Senate Rules Committee, which has the power to send that bill to the Senate floor. The process of getting the bill on the ballot could be complete as early as Monday.

Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove. Source: JohnKriesel.org

Republican Rep. Kriesel will oppose anti–gay marriage amendment

By Andy Birkey | 05.03.11 | 7:00 am

Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove, is the first Republican in the Minnesota Legislature to announce his opposition to a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage, according to the Star Tribune. The bill has cleared a committee each in the Minnesota House and Senate, and Kriesel said he’s working hard to convince his Republican colleagues that the amendment is a bad idea.

House committee passes anti–gay marriage amendment

By Andy Birkey | 05.02.11 | 3:40 pm

Along party lines, the House Civil Law Committee passed a bill Monday to put a constitutional amendment that would restrict marriage in Minnesota to one man and one woman before voters. In a hearing in which religious leaders far outnumbered legal testifiers, emotions ran high as the father of a gay soldier killed in Afghanistan appealed to veterans to oppose the amendment.

Senate committee passes anti–gay marriage amendment

By Andy Birkey | 04.29.11 | 3:56 pm

The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee passed a bill Friday afternoon that would put a ban on same-sex marriage in the Minnesota Constitution if voters approve it during the November 2012 elections. Religious leaders spoke in defense of the bill, while supporters of the LGBT community expressed opposition. It passed the committee along party lines with Republicans supporting the measure.

House Republicans introduce anti–gay marriage bills

By Andy Birkey | 04.28.11 | 3:48 pm

Republicans in the Minnesota House introduced three bills on Thursday that would put a ban on same-sex marriage into the Minnesota Constitution. The bill is a companion to the bills offered in the Minnesota Senate on Tuesday. Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, liked the idea so much, he’s offered two additional identical bills of his own.