House Republicans Submit Bill to Prevent County Recorders from Granting Any More Gay Marriage Licenses in Iowa

Remember yesterday when I shared information about House Joint Resolution 4, which would amend Iowa's constitution to ban legal recognition of gay marriage. This was co-sponsored by 12 GOP House members. Because Iowa has really been struggling after nearly six years of marriage equality.

I learned today that eight of those same GOP House members have filed a bill that would force Iowa's county registers from processing marriage licenses for same-sex couples until gay marriage itself is constitutionally banned. Whenever that may be:

House File 101 was offered Tuesday by Reps. Greg Heartsill (R-Melcher-Dallas), Steven Holt (R-Denison), Sandy Salmon (R-Janesville), Tedd Gassman (R-Scarville), Dean Fisher (R-Garwin), Larry Sheets (R-Moulton), John Kooiker (R-Boyden), and Ralph Watts (R-Adel). It would effectively end gay marriage in Iowa until a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman is put to a vote and the results are certified.

Not only would new marriage licenses not be granted for same-sex couples in Iowa if House File 101 got passed into law, but it would also bar the supreme court from considering whether or not it was actually constitutional.