A debate on the proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage is set for Jan. 13 at Franklin College.
Former Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard, an Evansville native, will moderate the debate between Jane Henegar, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, and Curt Smith, president of the Indiana Family Institute.
The hour-long debate will begin at 7 p.m. EST in the Branigin Room of the Napolitan Student Center. The debate is free and open to the public and also will be broadcast live on WFCI 89.5 FM.
Lawmakers are set to weigh the language of the proposed constitutional amendment for a second time in the 2014 session of the Indiana General Assembly. The current wording bans same-sex marriages as well as civil unions.
If approved, the proposed ban would be subject to a statewide referendum on the November 2014 ballot. State lawmakers approved the wording in 2011, but a separately-elected Legislature also must approve the language before the proposed ban can go on the ballot.
“The debate at Franklin College about the proposed same-sex marriage amendment will give the people of Indiana a better understanding of this contentious issue. Both sides deserve a fair hearing and, as moderator, I want to make sure that they receive one,” Shepard said in a statement released Tuesday.