By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – State Representative Gerald Allen has pre-filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman. The amendment would also ban gay marriages. Alabama already has a law that makes gay marriages illegal, but the Tuscaloosa Republican says he wanted the ban included in the constitution to make it harder for judges to throw out the original law. The bill is the first to be pre-filed in the Alabama House for the 2005 regular session. The amendment was submitted Friday. It would have to be approved in a statewide vote. The issue was discussed...but not decided...in this year's session when a similar amendment was considered by the Legislature. It passed the Senate but died in the House when it did not come up for debate on the session's final day. Representative Alvin Holmes threatened to lead a filibuster if the gay marriage came up for debate. He says he'll continue to fight the measure next year.