Vote on Gay Marriage Crashed in the Iowa Senate

Iowa's haters got a slap in the face...The next step in banning gay marriage was shut down.

A Republican senator called up a proposal that would take the first small step toward banning gay marriage in Iowa, and Democratic leaders agreed to allow a vote on the procedural issue of suspending Senate rules.


Just after 7:30 a.m, the vote failed on party lines, 26-24. All Democrats voted no and all Republicans voted yes to override the Senate President’s decision against breaking the rules.


The battle began just after 7 a.m., when Sen. Kent Sorenson, R-Indianola, asked for unanimous consent from the 50 senators to call up Senate Joint Resolution 8. The resolution, sponsored by all 24 Senate Republicans, proposes amending the Iowa Constitution to specify that marriage between one man and one woman is the only legal union valid or recognized in the state.


Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, first said “no” on calling up the resolution for a vote, saying it would violate procedures because the Democratic majority leader had already called up another resolution for a vote.


But Republicans objected, and after more consideration, Kibbie agreed to allow a vote on whether or not to override the Senate president.


“I’ve been around here about as long as anybody and it’s the first time we’ve had to call a vote on the ruling of the chair and that’s what we’re going to do,” said Kibbie, who was first elected to the Iowa Legislature in 1961 and has served 24 years in the Senate.


Minority Republicans saw today’s vote as a weigh-in on the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.


Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said it was simply a vote on rules. Traditional rules in the Senate give the leaders of the majority party final authority over bills or resolutions – which committee they’re assigned to, whether they’re called up for a vote.

Silly haters, I hope they learned something from their foolishness... Probably not.

source