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Gay marriage vote expected tonight

A vote is expected tonight on a measure that would let voters define marriage as between a man and a women in the Minnesota Constitution.

May 22, 2011 at 4:12AM

Jim Ivey, of St. Paul, held hands with the people next to him and sang "Amazing Grace" while there was discussion on the House about the marriage amendment debate at the Capitol. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Updated at 9:47 p.m.

A vote is expected tonight on a measure that would let voters define marriage in the Minnesota Constitution as between a man and a women.

At about 4 p.m., Rep. Mary Liz Holberg moved the bill to the House fiscal calendar. The House began debating the bill at about 6 p.m. but a vote wasn't expected until late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

The bill, which bypasses Gov. Mark Dayton, would submit this question to voters on the 2012 ballot: "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?"

Minnesota law already prohibits same-sex marriage, but backers of the amendment hope putting it in the Constitution will stop judges or future legislatures from overturning it.

For the third straight day Saturday, hundreds of opponents and supports of the amendment gathered outside the House chamber to make their voices heard.