If the House approved an amended resolution, the measure would have to go to a House-Senate conference committee, burning up time before lawmakers adjourn on May 13.

“Time is fleeting,” Kinder said. “Four weeks remain after this in the session. I think you know that the — we’re trying to put something on the ballot this year so that people can hear a debate.”

Rep. Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield and the committee chairman, said he was hesitant about amending the bill.

Democrats have charged that Republicans are trying to put the measure on the ballot to increase conservative voter turnout during a presidential election year. Republicans have denied that.

Onder said the bill comes down to whether people should be forced to violate their conscience. He compared the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage with its decision to legalize abortion in Roe v. Wade.

Missouri business group pans same-sex marriage measure The chamber of commerce joins Monsanto, MasterCard, Nixon and other Democrats in opposing constitutional change.

“The question remained unanswered: What is the right of doctors and nurses who decline to participate in abortion because of conscience reasons? Over the ensuing years the consensus arose that people of faith had a right to decline participation,” Onder said.