Free Republic

Same-sex proposal falls short in Senate By MARSHA SHULER mshuler@theadvocate.com Capitol news bureau A proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages in Louisiana fell one vote shy of passage Wednesday in the state Senate.Six senators were missing in action for the vote. Proponents said the loss was a setback but they expect to win Senate passage when the legislation comes up for another vote later. Some pro-amendment senators were absent Wednesday. The Senate voted 25 to 8. But 26 yeas -- a two-thirds majority of the 39-member body --- is required to pass any proposed constitutional amendment. If the measure passes...

<p>BATON ROUGE -- If the Louisiana Legislature doesn't take steps to ban gay marriages in Louisiana, God will, a number of preachers said Monday at a rally supporting proposals to preserve "the sanctity of marriage."</p> <p>Senate Bill 166 by Sen. John Hainkel, R-New Orleans, an amendment banning same-sex marriage, is set for a hearing today in the Senate Judiciary A Committee.</p>

<p>BATON ROUGE -- The Louisiana Senate voted 33-6 Wednesday to fire embattled Senate Secretary Mike Baer, who in January sent e-mail with sexually explicit jokes to legislators, their staff, the governor's office and others with legislative e-mail addresses.</p> <p>Within minutes, senators voted unanimously to elevate assistant secretary Glenn Koepp to the $123,000 a year job, the Senate's top employee.</p>