BOSTON (AP) – House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran, D-Boston, has floated a proposal that would split a possible marriage equality ballot question into two separate ballot questions.

A compromise amendment publicly backed by Finneran and state Senate President Robert Travaglini, D-Boston, would ask voters whether the constitution should be amended to ban marriage for gays and lesbians and establish civil unions.

But according to published reports, Finneran, in a meeting with Travaglini, proposed splitting the question before voters into two parts: first, banning marriage for gays and lesbians, and a second, saying the Legislature shall establish civil unions, but not defining what rights they would provide gay and lesbian couples.

Finneran told WBZ-AM that it was premature to say he was considering splitting the marriage equality ballot question, adding the situation was still fluid as lawmakers work on building consensus.

“The confidential conversations have to remain that,” Finneran said.

Travaglini’s amendment, which he co-sponsored with Finneran and Senate Minority Leader Brian Lees, R-East Longmeadow, would ban marriage for gays and lesbians, but simultaneously grant couples civil unions that convey all the rights and benefits of marriage under state law.

Travaglini said there are currently not enough votes to pass his version of a constitutional ban on marriage for gays and lesbians, but he’s hopeful the support will be in place by the time the Legislature resumes debate March 11.

“The president is still very much engaged with getting the votes for the measure that he and the speaker have sponsored,” said Senate Majority Leader Frederick E. Berry. “There’s no serious consideration of anything else, at least on our side. As far as the president is concerned, he did not give [Finneran’s idea] serious consideration.”

Finneran declined to comment on the new proposal.

Ronald A. Crews, spokesman for the Coalition for Marriage, which opposes marriage equality, said he could support Finneran’s proposal.

“If the speaker, in his wisdom, thinks this is a possibility, then we would support him in this endeavor,” Crews said. He said his group will urge like-minded lawmakers to back the Finneran plan because “we do believe it’s a positive thing for the voters to debate the issue.”

Gay and lesbian rights advocates, who oppose any amendment, say Finneran’s new plan offers evidence that the speaker never backed the plan he co-sponsored with Travaglini in the first place.

To amend the state’s constitution, a majority of lawmakers must approve the measure in two successive sessions, and then a majority of voters must approve the language in a statewide ballot referendum. The soonest voters could weigh in, then, would be November 2006.