Survey: Most Hoosiers Oppose Amendment To Ban Gay Marriage

Photo: Lynn Friedman (Flickr)

Two men hold hands on a street in San Francisco.

A new Ball State University survey says a majority of Hoosier adults oppose a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The survey shows Hoosiers evenly split on the issue of legalizing gay marriage, but 54 percent oppose a constitutional amendment banning it, while 38 percent support the proposed amendment.

House Speaker Brian Bosma says his caucus will not be guided by the poll. He says he believes the question of permitting same-sex marriage should be decided by elected officials and not unelected judges.

“The issue is now before the Supreme Court,” Bosma says. “There have been some that have suggested that we should wait to see what happens there before taking action. I’m not certain that that’s advisable at this point.”

Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane says the General Assembly needs to take a timeout from divisive social issues.

“There’s a perception by people who are getting their ox gored, you might say, that this is an attack. And, quite frankly, we’re placing discrimination into the constitution,” Lanane says.

The marriage amendment overwhelmingly passed the General Assembly last year.  If it passes the legislature again in 2013 or 2014, it will require passage by the voters on statewide referendum as its final step.