GOP Strikes Call to Make Homosexuality Illegal

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Montana Republican Party is ending its call to make homosexuality acts illegal, but reinforcing its opposition to gay marriage.

The changes came over the weekend at the party's convention in Missoula.

The GOP had held the position seeking to criminalize homosexuality since a 1997 Montana Supreme Court case striking down similar state laws. The party had been criticized in recent years for continuing its request to criminalize homosexuality.

But party executive director Bowen Greenwood says the decision to drop the language came as part of a larger effort to simply shorten a 31-page platform. He says there was no specific discussion on the matter.

The delegates also made it clear at Saturday's convention that the party supports "the definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman."