By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – A constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages in the state is halfway through the legislature. The Senate voted 35-to-nothing Tuesday afternoon to approve it. It was the first bill to pass the Senate during this year's legislative session. Its sponsor, Senator Hinton Mitchem, has expressed some concern about the politics surrounding the issue. He says he hopes state voters will be able to determine the amendment's fate in a special election later this year. But others have suggested delaying the vote until next year's political season. Some Republicans want it to occur during the 2006 general election because more voters likely will participate. Some Democrats want the issue on the June 2006 primary ballots.