Missouri Republicans block repeal of state's marriage equality ban

The GOP-controlled Missouri House of Representatives refused to repeal the state’s now-defunct ban on same-sex marriage.

While Democratic members of the house sought to do so, Republican members argued against removing the language despite the fact that the statute is already invalid and Republicans have control of both chambers of the Missouri legislature.

Reviewing and removing defunct passages to Missouri law is a common part of each House session. They do so by creating House Revision Bill 1, with amendments to previous statutes.

Out state Rep. Tracy McCreery (D) motioned to add an amendment during the bill’s consideration last week. The amendment sought to remove Missouri Statute 451.022, which formally dictated that “any purported marriage not between a man and a woman is invalid” and banned the issuance of same-sex marriage certificates.

This statute was invalidated, along many same-sex marriage bans, by the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.

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