The Minnesota Senate today approved a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman by a vote of 38-27. The Minnesota House of Representatives plans to take up the amendment before the end of the session, which ends in two weeks. If the House approves the amendment, which is expected, Minnesota voters would vote on the proposed amendment in the November 2012 election.  Passage of the marriage amendment became possible after Republicans gained control of both Houses of the Minnesota Legislature after the November 2010 elections.