A group that wants voters to approve a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage is criticizing Minnesota legislators who have proposed legislation to block the amendment.
Minnesota for Marriage asked the group of DFLers to "stop playing politics" with the amendment and allow residents to vote on the issue.
"Sixty-percent of Minnesota voters support the Legislature's decision to give them the right to vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment," said John Helmberger, the group's chairman. "This small group of legislators is trying to block a vote of the people, not just the amendment."
It took a good bit of political maneuvering to get the issue on the ballot in the first place. Marriage amendment supporters had pushed the issue hard for much of last session. Marriage amendment supporters won final passage in the closing hours of the 2011 regular session.
About a dozen Democratic legislators filed legislation this month to block the amendment, but it's not likely to get a lot of traction among the Republican-controlled Legislature. The session reconvenes starting Tuesday.
A call to DFL Rep. Karen Clark, the bill's sponsor, was not immediately returned.
"This is a settled issue," Helmberger said. "The Marriage Protection Amendment rightfully belongs to the people. It's unfortunate that some lawmakers want to play politics with it."
Same-sex marriage is already against the law Minnesota, but the amendment would prohibit legislators from legalizing same-sex marriage in the future.
