Indiana Marriage Amendment (2014)

Not on Ballot
This measure was not put on an election ballot

Voting on Marriage and Family
Ballot Measures
By state
By year
Not on ballot

An Indiana Marriage Amendment did not appear on the 2014 ballot in the state of Indiana as a proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The measure, which was in the 2014 legislative session as HJR 3, would have defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

HJR 6, the predecessor of the 2014 effort for a similar measure, also noted that the "legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized."

The state already has a law that bans gay marriage. A constitutional amendment passed by voters, however, would protect that law in state courts.

The proposal was primarily supported by Representatives P. Eric Turner (R-32) and David Cheatham (D-62).

The proposed constitutional amendment, HJR 3, was altered in January 2014, requiring the legislature to vote on the new language during the next two consecutive sessions. This made 2016 the earliest the altered measure could appear on the ballot.

Background

In 2005, the Indiana General Assembly approved a similar marriage measure. The proposal however, never made it to the statewide ballot. In 2006, Democrats won control of the House. The measure failed to pass. In order to appear on the ballot, constitutional amendments must be approved in two successive legislative sessions of the general assembly.

Support

The following is information obtained from the supporting side of the measure:

Supporters of the proposed measure argued that, although the state of Indiana already bans same-sex marriage, the amendment would prevent courts from overturning the law.

Opposition

The following is information obtained from the opposing side of the measure:

• Rep. Edward Clere (R-72) was reportedly the only House Republican to oppose the proposed measure. Clere said that while he believed the proposal was well-intended, he did not think it addressed real problems.

• Executives from Eli Lilly and Co., an Indiana based pharmaceutical company, and Cummins Inc., an OEM engine manufacturer headquartered in Indiana, argued that the proposed measure could hurt Indiana's image. Other top state companies said they were worried about the ability to recruit employees should the measure be approved.

Tactics and strategies

• On March 14, 2011, opponents of the proposed marriage amendment gathered in Indianapolis. According to reports, "hundreds of protesters" gathered for the event.

Polls

See also: Polls, 2013 ballot measures

Indiana Marriage Amendment (2014)
Poll	Support	Oppose	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Hoosier Survey 10/8/2013 - 10/21/2013	38.1%	57.5%	4.4%	+/-4.80	800
Bellweather Research 9/17/2013 - 9/19/2013	45%	48%	7%	+/-3.50	800
Bellweather Research 4/18/2013 - 4/21/2013	50%	46%	7%	+/-4.00	600
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research 3/10/2011 - 3/13/2011	43%	47%	11%	+/-4.90	400
AVERAGES	44.03%	49.63%	7.35%	+/-4.3	650
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Indiana Constitution

In order to send a constitutional amendment to the ballot, a majority vote is required (in two successive sessions of) the Indiana General Assembly. Indiana is one of 12 states where proposed amendments are considered in two successive sessions of the state's legislature. The proposed measure did not appear on the 2014 statewide ballot.

• On February 7, 2011, the House Judiciary Committee voted 8-4 to advance the proposal. On February 15, 2011, the House voted 70-26 in approval of the proposed measure.

• On March 13, 2011, the Senate Committee on Judiciary voted 7-3 in favor of the proposed measure. On March 29, 2011, the Indiana State Senate voted 40-10 in favor of the proposed measure.

• On January 22, 2014, the Indiana House Elections and Apportionment Committee voted 9-3 to advance the proposal. On January 27, 2014, the House voted 52-43 to strip the sentence "A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized." from the proposed measure. On January 28, 2014, the House voted 57-40 in favor of the amended measure.

• On February 10, 2014, the Indiana Senate Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee voted 8-4 to advance the recently amended proposal. On February 17, 2014, the Senate voted 32-17 in favor of the amended measure.

See also

• Indiana 2014 ballot measures
• 2014 ballot measures

Articles

• Indiana Senate gives proposed marriage amendment the green light
• Marriage amendment clears the Indiana House of Representatives

Suggest a link

External links

2011

• HJR 6 (status)
• HJR 6 (text)

2014

• HJR 3

Additional reading

• One News Now, "Indiana marriage amendment makes progress," April 4, 2011
• Associated Press, "Indiana Senate panel could vote on advancing constitutional ban on gay marriage, civil unions," March 23, 2011
• HRC Back Story, "Indiana Senate Committee to Take Up Marriage Discrimination Amendment Again Tomorrow," March 22, 2011
• Courier-Journal, "Vote on same-sex marriage amendment delayed in Indiana," February 14, 2011
• ABC, "Gay Marriage Supporters Hail Setback for Ind. Ban," February 13, 2014