Amendment to recognize all marriages regardless of gender approved by committee

With no debate, the Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections Committee on Thursday backed amending the Nevada Constitution to require the state recognize all marriages regardless of gender.

The existing language in Nevada’s Constitution recognizes only marriages between a man and a woman. But committee research analyst Carol Stonefield advised the panel that language isn’t enforceable because the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that marriage is a constitutional right and can’t be restricted by gender.

During the hearing on the proposed amendment, sponsor Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, D-Las Vegas, said Nevada has conducted more than 10,000 same sex marriages since that ruling and the state needs to install AJR2 in the constitution to comply with and match up with the U.S. Supreme Court.

Only two members of the panel voted against the resolution: Republicans Ira Hansen of Sparks and John Hambrick of Las Vegas.

AJR2 goes to the floor of the Assembly for action. To change the constitution, it must be approved by two consecutive legislatures they by a vote of the people.