Gay Senator: MN anti-gay marriage amendment is hurtful

Senator Scott Dibble, who is gay, talks about how hurtful a proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment is to him and his husband.

The proposed anti-gay marriage amendment passed the Minnesota Senate May 11 by a vote of 38-27. If passed by the House of Representatives, the question would appear on the November 2012 ballot for decision by voters:

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?

The bill does not need to be signed by the governor. If it is passed by both houses, then it will be on the November 2012 ballot. Approval of a constitutional amendment requires the vote of “a majority of all the electors voting at the election,” whether or not the voter casts a “yes” or “no” vote on a proposed amendment.