MADISON, Wis., March 5 (UPI) -- The Wisconsin state Assembly Friday overwhelmingly approved a proposed amendment to the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
The 68-27 vote came after a night of partisan bickering kept lawmakers in a marathon session. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said Democrats extended debate to keep the measure from being passed in the middle of the night.
The controversial amendment must be approved by the state Senate and voters in a statewide referendum.
The proposed 43-word amendment would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman and would not allow Wisconsin to recognize gay marriages or civil unions performed elsewhere.
Wisconsin is one of several states considering a state constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage and President Bush has called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage.
