Marriage ban

An effort to repeal a ban on marriage equality in the Nevada Constitution appears likely to be approved by state lawmakers. Repeal has been approved 27 to 14 in the Assembly and 19 to 2 in the Senate.

Such a measure must pass the legislature twice, then be voted on by the public. The Nevada Legislature approved repeal in 2013 when there was a Democratic majority. In 2015, a Republican majority was elected, and it failed to act on the second passage of the measure. So it had to start over again this year. The measure is Assembly Joint Resolution 2.

The ban went into the Nevada Constitution by initiative petition, which required two public votes. In the first round of voting in 2000, the measure passed by 69.62 percent. In second round voting in 2002, it passed by 67.2 percent.

According to opinion surveys, support for the ban has continued dropping ever since. In 2013, a Public Opinion Strategies poll commissioned by the Retail Association of Nevada indicated majority of Nevadans voters would support repealing of the ban, 54 to 43 percent. The ban has been voided by the courts but remains in the Constitution.