West Virginia House Blocks Amendment Attempt

Despite a campaign by religious conservatives to get West Virginia lawmakers to pass a bill defining marriage as between one man and one woman, when pressed to vote on the bill, the House of Delegates voted along party lines to keep the measure from ever reaching voters.

West Virginia’s House of Delegates voted along party lines Monday to end this session’s chances for a proposed constitutional amendment on marriage.

An evangelical group has pressed lawmakers this session to have marriage defined as between one woman and one man.

But the resolution needed to put the issue before voters has stalled in committee. That prompted Monday’s move by Republican delegates to force it to the full House.

Delegates voted 67-30 to reject the attempt. All 29 House Republicans voted to move the measure out of committee, as did Delegate Tom Louisos, D-Fayette.

And in a moment of “Remember When”:

House Republicans similarly sought to force a vote on an anti-gay marriage measure in 2006. It became fodder for a failed election advertising campaign meant to increase the GOP ranks in that chamber.

The Family Policy Council of West Virginia has pushed for this session’s resolution, citing a poll it says shows clear support for an amendment. It recently bombarded the revision committee’s chairwoman and the head of the House Judiciary Committee with sometimes abusive phone calls demanding action, and targeted Gov. Joe Manchin with a postcard campaign.

[Charleston Daily Mail]