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Topeka — House and Senate negotiators agreed Thursday that a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution banning gay marriage also should deny legal recognition to other same-sex arrangements such as civil unions.

The language in the amendment is backed by religious conservatives who were angered by the Senate's defeat last month of a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriages only.

"It sounds like they're coming out with a strong amendment to put before the people," said the Rev. Terry Fox, senior pastor at Wichita's Immanuel Southern Baptist Church. "Frankly, we will not compromise on anything less than a strong amendment."

The new legislation is similar to a proposed amendment adopted in March by the House. Two-thirds of both chambers must approve the same language for the proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to be placed before voters in November.

"I think that it has a good chance" of passage, said Senate President Dave Kerr, R-Hutchinson.

The Rev. Joe Wright, senior pastor at Wichita's Central Christian Church, said a ban would be meaningless if same-sex couples still could receive the benefits normally associated with marriage through a civil union or domestic partnership.

Wright and others have argued that preserving a special legal status for traditional marriages was important because they formed the strongest families -- the foundation of American society.

"Government didn't establish holy matrimony -- God did," Wright said after Thursday's meeting. "That's the healthiest relationship for a child to grow up with."

Tiffany Muller, chairwoman of Topeka's Equal Justice Coalition, said supporters of gay and lesbian rights were "opposed to any language that is discriminatory being put in the constitution and on the public ballot.

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"Trying to preclude any future granting of any rights or equality is reprehensible," Muller said.

Some critics, including Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, have questioned whether a constitutional amendment is necessary.

Kansas is among 38 states that have laws asserting that they recognize marriage as existing only between one man and one woman.

Massachusetts had no such law last year when its highest court declared it unconstitutional in that state to prohibit gay marriage.

Four states have "defense of marriage" provisions in their constitutions -- Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska and Nevada.