House Speaker Joe Hackney said today that he will use the power of his office to kill the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage.

"I said at the beginning of the session that we will control the agenda, and that's what we will do," the Orange County Democrat said.

Hackney said he will send the bill to a committee, where it probably will die this session. The bill, which would bring to a public vote a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman, must pass either the House or Senate this week to stay alive for the legislative session.

Hackney's move would essentially overrule a House committee vote to send the proposal to a vote of the full House.

The committee vote elated amendment supporters because it was the most progress the proposal has made in four years.

Hackney said a constitutional amendment would not change state law defining marriage.

He called the bill "simply a political agenda."