Amendment J would protect same-sex marriages in Colorado by repealing the state constitution's now-defunct definition, which only recognizes unions between a man and a woman.

Same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide in 2015 by the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. Colorado granted gay marriage licenses last year after a lower court declared the ban unconstitutional.

However, the state constitution still contains a voter-approved 2006 amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

The measure, put forward for a vote by the state legislature, would align Colorado's constitution with decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Colorado Supreme Court. Unlike amendments that would amend the state constitution and require a higher approval threshold, a repeal measure like Amendment J requires only a simple majority.

What would Amendment J do if adopted?

The amendment would repeal language in the state constitution that limits valid marriages to those between a man and a woman.

What would it cost?

According to the state's Blue Book voter guide, the change would not impose a financial burden on local governments because it would simply remove a now-defunct definition from the Constitution.