H.J.R. 7 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of 1 the State of Iowa is proposed: 2 Article I of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is amended 3 by adding the following new section: 4 Civil marriage. SEC. 26. The state and its political 5 subdivisions shall make no law prohibiting the act of civil 6 marriage or denying the benefits of civil marriage to any 7 individual capable of entering into a civil contract, based 8 on the race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender 9 identity, national origin, religion, or disability of either 10 party entering into a civil marriage. 11 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing proposed 12 amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred 13 to the general assembly to be chosen at the next general 14 election for members of the general assembly, and the secretary 15 of state is directed to cause the proposed amendment to be 16 published for three consecutive months previous to the date of 17 that election as provided by law. 18 EXPLANATION 19 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the 20 Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to civil marriage 21 and providing that the state and its political subdivisions 22 shall make no law prohibiting the act of civil marriage or 23 denying the benefits of civil marriage to any individual 24 capable of entering into a civil contract, based on the 25 race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, 26 national origin, religion, or disability of either party 27 entering into a civil marriage. The resolution, if adopted, 28 would be referred to the next general assembly for adoption 29 before being submitted to the electorate for ratification. 30 -1- LSB 1762HH (2) 84 pf/rj 1/ 1