COLUMBIA -- A recent court ruling in Massachusetts regarding the rights of gay couples to marry has South Carolina lawmakers scrambling to ban such marriages here and to avoid having to recognize such unions performed elsewhere.

On the other side of the issue, a statewide gay rights organization is planning a town hall meeting on marriage equality and a challenge to the state's ban on gay marriage.

"I may be a dreamer, but I do think times are changing," said Bert Easter, president of the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement, the group sponsoring Wednesday's meeting. "My intention is to get married right here in Columbia, South Carolina. I don't think it will happen next week. Maybe in a
few years, I'm
hoping."

Some 50 members of the South Carolina House, however, are signing onto a bill that would keep Easter from doing that.

South Carolina law already bans same-sex marriages, but the new bill would prohibit marriage benefits for gay couples who wed in other states.

Typically states are required to recognize public acts, records and court proceedings of other states.

House Bill 4674, introduced Tuesday and sponsored by Florence Republican Reps. Marty Coates and Jim McGee, would amend the existing law to provide that "same sex marriages in any other jurisdiction has no legal force or effect in this state" and "provide that is against public policy to extend or recognize statutory benefits of a legal marriage to nonmarital relationships."

Democratic Reps. Jackie Hayes of Hamer, Lester Branham of Lake City, Mack Hines of Florence and Jesse Hines of Lamar requested Thursday that their names be added as sponsors of the bill, which is in the House Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has said such laws are likely unconstitutional and would not stand if challenged in court.

"But we'll do whatever we can at the state level, where we have control, to protect the sanctity of marriage as being between a man and a woman," said state Rep. Gary Simrill, R-Rock Hill, who introduced the original bill barring gay marriages conducted in other states or countries from being recognized in the Palmetto State.

It became law in 1996.

Lawmakers supporting the ban on same-sex marriages plan a news conference Tuesday at the Statehouse.

"I'm in support of the bill because I don't believe in same-sex marriages," said state Rep. Mike Pitts, R-Laurens. "It's against my biblical principles."

Samuel Slater, a legislative analyst with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said the Massachusetts ruling is making ripples nationwide and is renewing a push to create an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that restricts marriage to heterosexual couples.

"It's as important of an issue in the South as it is in the Northeast," said Slater, who will speak at Wednesday's town hall meeting. "This is the new civil rights fight."