Ind. Senators Seek to Restore Civil Unions Ban

Two Republican state senators have filed amendments that could place the proposed Indiana constitutional ban on gay marriage back on track for a November referendum.

Sens. Mike Delph of Carmel and Dennis Kruse of Auburn filed separate proposals Thursday to restore the so-called "second sentence" of the ban. The provision would ban civil unions and could bar employers from providing benefits to same-sex couples.

The Senate is expected to debate possible changes to the amendment Thursday afternoon.

The clause on civil unions was included in the measure legislators first approved it in 2011 and is needed to place the measure on the statewide ballot in November. But the civil unions prohibition caused concern among House members, who removed it from the proposal last month.