Two Iowa lawmakers have introduced
bills which seek to constitutionally define marriage in the state as
a heterosexual union.
The measures, introduced in the House
and Senate by Republicans Senator Dennis Guth and Rep. Greg
Heartsill, are backed by 21 other GOP legislators, according to The
Des Moines Register.
The move comes nearly six years after
the Iowa Supreme Court's unanimous decision that first brought
marriage equality to the Midwest and as dozens of such bans face
challenges in federal and state courts.
Guth has backed previous efforts to
reverse the court's decision.
In 2013, he stunned colleagues when he
claimed that gays pose “health risks” to his family.
“Just as there are multiple ways that
your smoking hurts me, such as second-hand smoke, so it is with
same-sex relationships. There are health risks that my family incurs
because of the increase of sexually transmitted infections that this
lifestyle invites. For example, there are more and more medical
tests required before giving blood or giving birth,” he
said.