COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Bob Taft signed into law the state’s first defense of marriage act Feb. 6, making it the 38th state in the nation with an explicit ban on same-sex “marriage.”
Taft’s signature means that three-fourths of the states now have passed defense of marriage acts — a significant milestone in the battle for a marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
An amendment would require ratification by three-fourths of the states, and social conservatives hope that the broad support for defense of marriage acts will translate into support for a federal amendment.
Before reaching the states, an amendment would first require passage by two-thirds of the House and Senate.
President Bush reportedly has told Washington legislators that he eventually will support a constitutional amendment.
Ohio’s defense of marriage act, which is a statute and not a constitutional amendment, goes further than those of most states. It bans not only the recognition of same-sex “marriage” but also the recognition of Vermont-type civil unions and domestic partnerships. The bill prevents same-sex couples from receiving benefits as defined in state law.
The latest CNN/Time poll shows that 62 percent of Americans oppose the legalization of same-sex “marriage.”
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