Puerto Rico’s Gov. Luis Fortuño Wants to Upgrade Gay Marriage Ban to Constitutional Amendment Status

Luis Fortuño, the Republican governor of Puerto Rico, has a grand plan straight out of the 1990s: ban gay marriage constitutional amendment. Are we really doing this again?

As these things before evermore predictable, Fortuño outlined his plan in front of a crowd of religious leaders.

Gov. Fortuño told a group of religious leaders Friday that he plans to consult voters about the inclusion of a constitutional amendment that would declare the exclusivity of marriage as the union between a man and a woman and to veto any legislation that would lower from 16 to 14 years old the age for a minor to legally consent to have sexual relations.

Fortuño made his remarks during a speech to religious leaders at the Nueva Cosecha Church in Carolina where he sought the support of conservative groups to help reduce the island’s high crime rate. The proposed vote in favor of the constitutional amendment declaring the exclusivity of marriage between a man and a woman would be part of the proposed vote that would amend the Constitution to reduce the size of the Legislature.

Nevermind that Puerto Rico already bans gay marriage there, and bans any recognition of it from other jurisdictions. But those were merely laws passed by the legislature. Getting voters to enact a constitutional ban would make it more permanent. And fun for children!