Nevada To Consider Repealing Gay Marriage Ban

Nevada lawmakers are expected to consider a bill which would repeal a 2002 constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the state.

Assemblyman Elliot Anderson, a Democrat from Las Vegas, announced that he will introduce a bill in February which would begin the process of repealing the ban.

Nevada is the only state which requires that a citizen-initiated amendment be voted on twice. An overwhelming 69.6 percent of voters first approved Question 2 in 2000. Support dropped slightly to 67 percent for the second and final vote in 2002.

Anderson told the Las Vegas Sun that he believes attitudes on the issue have shifted since 2002.

?All people are created equal and we must make sure our constitution is not sideways on that issue,? said Anderson. ?We want to give them [the voters] an opportunity to pass judgment.?

To eliminate the amendment, which defines marriage as a heterosexual union, Anderson's proposal needs the approval of lawmakers and the voters. However, it would only be needed to be voted on at the ballot box once.

A recent Public Policy Polling survey found 47 percent of Nevada voters think gay marriage should be legal, while 42 percent disagree.

Nevada began recognizing the relationships of gay and lesbian couples with domestic partnerships in 2009. Since then, 3,887 couples have filed to enter the union.

Source: http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=12937&MediaType=1&Category=26

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