Kansas House rejects gay marriage ban

''I would say it's dead," Republican House Speaker Doug Mays said following the vote.

In March, the House adopted a different version of the amendment on an 88-to-36 vote, but several members switched their votes yesterday.

Kansas already has a statute declaring the state's policy of recognizing marriage only as the union of one man and one woman. Some legislators believe the statute makes the amendment unnecessary, but others say putting the policy into the Kansas Constitution would keep it from being revised by a court or future Legislature.

Proponents also said the state should continue to elevate traditional marriages above other relationships, arguing that traditional marriages form the strongest families and the foundation of American society.

''We either care about marriage or we don't," said Representative Dan Williams, a Republican who presented the proposed amendment to the House. ''It's that simple."

Opponents contend it would invite a court challenge and would enshrine discrimination in the Kansas Constitution.

''I've come to [the] conclusion that we're doing something that's not very nice," said Representative Rick Rehorn, a Democrat. ''I'm asking this body to be kind today and stop this amendment."

Ten House members who had voted for the slightly different version of the amendment in March voted against the latest version yesterday, while one made the opposite switch and voted with the majority yesterday.