Iowa vote won’t end state’s marriage equality

Iowa voters ousted three of the Iowa Supreme Court justices whose 2009 court ruling legalized marriage equality, but doing so doesn’t change the state’s law. And the law won’t change anytime soon. Majority leader State Sen. Mike Gronstal [D] (pictured) has the sole power to determine what is debated in the Senate and he said he will not put the marriage issue on the agenda.

Opponents of progress will continue to push for a constitutional amendment. A constitutional amendment must pass two consecutive General Assemblies before going before voters.

Sen. Gronstal says, “We are not going to pursue a constitutional amendment in the Iowa Senate. I don’t believe in putting discrimination in the Iowa Constitution. The constitution is to guarantee people’s rights, not deny them rights.”

The National Organization for Marriage spent approximately $600,000 on the judges fate, as reported by Omaha.com.

In a joint statement, the three said they had done their best to uphold the constitution and had been privileged to serve the people of Iowa. They thanked those who defended them “against an unprecedented attack by out-of-state special interests.”