Kansas and Wisconsin lawmakers moved closer Friday to amending the state constitution to ban gay marriage.

The Kansas state House approved the amendment with a slim margin over the two-thirds support needed. The measure now goes to Senate. If the Senate adopts the proposal with a two-thirds majority, the amendment will go on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Kansas law already says marriages are only valid between a man and woman. The amendment would add a similar statement to the constitution and prohibit granting marriage benefits to other relationships.

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Critics of the proposal quoted the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address during floor debate. One Democratic lawmaker asked, "When will we ever learn?"

Supporters say they are protecting families.

Elsewhere, the Wisconsin Assembly's only openly gay member voiced disappointment Friday with a vote in favor of a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage or civil unions.

"I thought we got over that stuff a long time ago," Rep. Mark Pocan said, adding that the measure would make him "three-fifths of a citizen" and amounts to "nothing more than state-sponsored discrimination."

The vote came after an all-night debate, in which opponents railed against the amendment and supporters refused to answer questions about its merits.

Wisconsin law already defines marriage as between a husband and wife and doesn't recognize gay marriage. But supporters say the amendment is needed to make sure the state isn't forced by courts to recognize same-sex marriage.

Those concerns were part of the rationale cited by President George W. Bush last month when he called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage. The federal government also has what is called a "defense of marriage" act that says marriage is only for a man and a woman.

The Wisconsin proposal needs to be passed in both houses of the legislature in consecutive sessions before going to a statewide referendum before it could go into effect. It goes to the state Senate next.

Recent weeks have seen dramatic moves in the debate over gay marriage: the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said the state cannot prevent homosexual marriages under its Constitution; the mayor of San Francisco ordered city clerks to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, possibly in violation of state law; Bush called for an amendment; the mayor of New Paltz, N.Y., issued licenses and officiated ceremonies and was charged with 19 criminal counts; and an Oregon county began offering marriages.

A second round of same-sex weddings in New Paltz, N.Y. was postponed Friday. Mayor Jason West said the one-week postponement had nothing to do with a lawsuit seeking to bar him from performing the weddings.

West was in court on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges for conducting marriages without a license last weekend. He said he made the decision so he can talk to state attorney general Eliot Spitzer next week to help foster an atmosphere of trust between Spitzer and himself.