Texas Senate sends same-sex marriage amendment to voters News
Texas Senate sends same-sex marriage amendment to voters

[JURIST] The Texas Senate [official website] approved a proposed constitutional amendment Saturday that would ban same-sex marriages [JURIST hot topic]. The measure will be presented to voters in the state's November elections, and, if passed, will amend the state constitution [text] to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Read the Texas Senate press release on the vote. Fourteen states have adopted similar constitutional amendments and Massachusetts is the only state to recognize same-sex marriages. On Friday, Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich vetoed [JURIST report] a bill in that state that would have allowed rights for gay partners who registered with the state, while earlier this month an initiative in Arizona [JURIST report] began to make a similar amendment to that state's constitution. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.