Ohioans collecting hundreds of thousands of signatures to overturn the state’s same-sex marriage ban will start over with a revised version of the proposed constitutional amendment.
FreedomOhio leaders announced Friday they would shelve the “Freedom to Marry” petition and revise the proposed amendment to address concerns about the original language. The group also plans to collect signatures to advance legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in Ohio.
The constitutional amendment drew criticism from likely allies Equality Ohio for being too vague in its exclusion of “religious institutions” from recognizing same-sex marriages. The concern was religious hospitals and other institutions could choose not to recognize a same-sex marriage and tie up the issue in courts for years.
The new language defines marriage as between two adults and exempts “religious houses of worship and clergy” from performing or recognizing marriages that don’t agree with their beliefs. Religious house of worship is defined as one where the primary activity is religious worship.
“FreedomOhio wants marriage equality for all families as soon as we can possibly secure it, and we’re willing to put our egos to the side to allow us all to build consensus to move forward,” said co-founder Ian James.
James said FreedomOhio has already collected more than enough signatures to put the gay marriage constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Those signatures won’t be applied to the new petition, which the group filed Friday with the Ohio attorney general’s office.
James said he will work with other gay rights groups in Ohio to determine the best time to place the issue on the ballot, not ruling out this November as originally planned. Equality Ohio, which formed after Ohioans approved the state’s gay marriage ban in 2004, decided not to support the first version of the gay marriage amendment this year.
Equality Ohio launched the Why Marriage Matters campaign last year to build support for a future ballot issue. Campaign manager Michael Premo said he had yet to review the new language but he welcomed the effort.
Citizens for Community Values, a conservative group that backed the 2004 same-sex marriage ban, has pledged to fight an amendment if and when it’s on the ballot.
In addition to the new gay marriage petition, FreedomOhio will also collect signatures to add anti-discrimination language to state law.
Ohioans can be turned down from a job or denied a rental contract because they are gay or transgender. The Equal Housing and Employment Act would add sexual orientation and gender identity to state discrimination laws.
State lawmakers have introduced bipartisan bills in each chamber, but neither has moved forward.
Chris Long, president of Ohio Christian Alliance, said the legislation is unnecessary and carves out special rights for gay people. He said his group will oppose efforts to pass it.
Nearly 7 in 10 Ohioans favor laws protecting gay and lesbian Ohioans from discrimination, according to a 2013 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. The survey found 84 percent of Ohioans incorrectly think Ohio includes sexual orientation in its discrimination laws. The same poll found Ohioans were split, 47-47, on overturning Ohio’s gay marriage ban.
The news came on the same day that federal Judge Timothy S. Black issued a statement saying he will issue a ruling forcing Ohio to recognize out-of-state gay marriages by April 14. The judge found that the ban violates constitutional rights to equal protection and due process. Black’s ruling will not mean Ohio has to allow couples to marry in the state.
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