[JURIST] Ohio Governor Ted Strickland [official website] said Thursday that he believes the state's 2004 constitutional amendment banning gay marriage [JURIST report] could prevent the state from outlawing sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination in the private sector. Strickland created protections in the public sector by signing Executive Order 2007 - 10S [press release and text], banning those forms of discrimination against state government employees under his control. The measure will expire when Strickland leaves office.

Although Strickland said that he would like to support private sector protections for homosexual and transgendered workers, the 2004 marriage amendment, which he did not support, could prevent him from doing so. As governor, he said it is his duty to not support legislation that would be contrary to the constitution. If such a private sector anti-discrimination bill were proposed, he would have to determine if it met the amendment's definition of 'approximating' marriage. AP has more.