INDIANAPOLIS — Freedom Indiana campaign manager Megan Robertson issued this statement following the 32-17 vote in the Indiana Senate to pass HJR-3, the proposed constitutional marriage amendment. The amendment was passed without its deeply flawed second sentence, which would have permanently prohibited civil unions, domestic partnerships and other legal protections for same-sex couples. HJR-3 will not appear on the 2014 ballot.
"We can finally breathe a collective sigh of relief that lawmakers are finished with the amendment this session, and it will not appear on the ballot this November.
"We are grateful that the deeply flawed second sentence was removed by the House and kept out by the Senate, and we encourage Hoosiers to thank those lawmakers who showed the courage this session to make sure Indiana didn't wind up on the wrong side of history.
"We were underdogs in this fight from the outset, but our success reflects the strength of the incredible coalition we were able to build in just six months. Every Hoosier who made a phone call, wrote a letter, sent an email, showed up at the Statehouse or helped oppose HJR-3 in another way should be proud today."
Freedom Indiana is a bipartisan statewide organization that champions liberty for all Hoosiers. The organization is opposed to an amendment that would permanently alter the Indiana Constitution to define marriage and could potentially affect hundreds of protections related to marriage under current Indiana law. Freedom Indiana launched in August 2013.