KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Rep. Chris Sander is sponsoring a bill that aims changes the definition of a valid marriage in the Missouri Constitution to include same-sex marriages.
Sander says for him, it's a constitutional issue.
"The party platform says marriage is a man and a woman, but I swear to hold the U.S. Constitution, Missouri Constitution," Sander said.
He identifies as an openly gay conservative, who wants state laws to line up with federal ones.
"So it would open up the language to have same-sex marriage constitutionally legal in Missouri.
He's breaking party lines to make it happen. Since 2004, marriage in the show-me state, marriage has been defined as between one man and one woman.
"Which I think that language needs to be removed altogether," he said.
Sanders' proposal changes it to "two individuals," removing potential legal challenges for same-sex marriage in the state.
"If you find someone you love, you should be able to marry them in the same community you found them in," Kansas City, Missouri, LGBTQ Commission Chair Justice Horn said.
Horn says the state's current wording has dissuaded same-sex marriage in Missouri.
Same-sex marriage is protected federally, but even still, some people choose to cross state lines and go somewhere it's protected by the state.
Though Horn believes it'd be upheld by higher, federal courts, same-sex marriages could still be challenged in state court.
"Some people don't want to be that one case that does get challenged — that does get political," Horn said.
Horn says it's about time.
"Last time we've really had a poll...or even a vote on this was 2004," he explained. "A lot of things have changed since then."
