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   ISSUES  > Family and Marriage
 
Indiana  
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State Information

Government Website: http://www.in.gov/legislative/

Outline of State Law
Current Status of Law Concerning Marriage and Date of Passage 1997- State Law Passed 
State Law Prohibits/Voids Same Sex/Same Gender Marriage yes 
State Law Defines Marriage between a Man and a Woman no 
State Law Denies Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages Solemnized in Other States yes 
State Law States that Same Sex Marriage is not Aligned with State Public Policy no  
State Law Defines "Spouse" as Referring Only to a Person of the Opposite Sex Who is Married as Husband or Wife no 

Statutory Provision

Indiana Code.  Tit. 31, Art. 11, Chap. 1, § 1. Same sex marriages prohibited.

(a) Only a female may marry a male. Only a male may marry a female.    

(b) A marriage between persons of the same gender is void in Indiana even if the marriage is lawful in the place where it is solemnized.

Current Legislative Activity

  • February 2007, the Indiana Senate voted to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage, SJR 7. This vote marks the second time the Senate has approved this measure. In April 2007, House leadership sent the bill to the Rules Committee to die, but based on campaign promises of the Speaker of the House, marriage advocates have hope that it will be voted on before  the end of the year.  If approved, the amendment will appear on the ballot for the November 2008 election. If passed by voters, the constitution would be amended. 

 

U.S. Senators
US Senators and their Comments on FMA

Evan Bayh, Democrat
http://bayh.senate.gov/index1.html
This senator was elected in 1998, therefore not present for the federal DOMA in 1996. The senator voted against the Marriage Protection Amendment in 2004 and 2006.

Richard Lugar, Republican
http://lugar.senate.gov/
This senator voted for the federal DOMA in 1996 and for the Marriage Protection Amendment in 2004 and 2006.

State Public Policy Organizations Working on Marriage Issues

Indiana Family Institute



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