AUGUSTA -- Twelve years ago Maine lawmakers adopted a citizen-initiated bill to ban same-sex marriage.

At the time, legislators said they did not wish to send the ban out to voters because they wanted to avoid a divisive battle. Now, gay activists are seeking to overturn that language to allow same sex couples to marry in Maine.

The key question: Do Maine lawmakers, and Maine citizens, want to change the definition of marriage?

Activists on both sides will begin that debate in earnest Wednesday, when hundreds, perhaps thousands, will go to the Augusta Civic Center for a public hearing on two bills.

One measure, sponsored by Sen. Dennis Damon, D-Trenton, would allow gay marriage in Maine. It also clarifies that religious institutions would not be compelled to conduct weddings for gays or lesbians if inconsistent with their doctrine.

The other, sponsored by Rep. Leslie Fossel, R-Alna, sets up a domestic partner registry that confers rights, protections and benefits similar to those granted to spouses.

Marc Mutty, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Portland, said their polls show Mainers do not want to allow gay marriage.

"Maine people are very concerned about not being discriminatory in their views or actions, but they have a real hard time with a redefinition of marriage," he said.

On the other side, gay activists are traveling throughout Maine talking about marriage and gauging electorate's mood. Betsy Smith, executive director of EqualityMaine, said she thinks Mainers are ready for a change.

"There is a lot of support," she said. "It is an issue whose time has come."

Wednesday's hearing will be the first time since 1997 that Maine lawmakers have considered gay marriage. The last time, a citizens group called Concerned Maine Families led by Carolyn Cosby gathered enough signatures to bring a bill to lawmakers banning same-sex marriage.

Many states passed similar bans following a 1993 ruling by the Hawaii supreme court that said it was unconstitutional to deny gays and lesbians the right to marry. Voters there later amended the state constitution so the Legislature could define marriage as one man, one woman.

In recent weeks, a court ruling in Iowa and legislative action in Vermont brought the total number of states that allow gay marriage to four. Connecticut and Massachusetts already allow the practice.

On Thursday, New York Gov. David Paterson announced he is introducing legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in that state, according to the New York Times.

Now it's Maine's turn to take up the issue.

According to Smith, Wednesday's hearing "is the first time hundreds of Mainers get to come forward and tell their story to a decision-making body."

Leading the opposition is the Catholic Diocese of Portland, which ran a full-page ad in the Kennebec Journal last week listing the names of more than 300 clergy who are opposed to same-sex marriage.

It also launched a television advertisement encouraging opponents to attend Wednesday's public hearing.

While the Diocese alone funded the newspaper and television ads, Mutty said people of different faiths are opposed to the measure. They are also bringing in people from out of state to testify at the hearing, he said.

Smith said their efforts will focus on Maine people.

"It's about Maine families standing up for all Maine families," she said. "It is very, very local for us."

Susan Cover -- 620-7015

scover@centralmaine.com