DES MOINES — A legislative leader said Thursday it’s “exceedingly unlikely” the Legislature will take up the issue of gay marriage this year, regardless of the outcome of an Iowa Supreme Court decision expected Friday.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said procedural rules would block the introduction of new legislation so late in the session. Gronstal estimates there are no more than two weeks to go in this session.

“From my perspective it would require a suspension of the joint rules,” said Gronstal. “It’s unlikely that will happen.”

The court is scheduled to issue its ruling Friday morning on a challenge to a state law defining marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The decision comes at an awkward time for lawmakers, most of whom have shown little interest in taking up the issue. Legislative leaders have repeatedly said they won’t comment on the issue because it’s before the courts, but they will have to change that response after Friday.

Still, Gronstal said not to expect any quick action.

“I think it’s exceedingly unlikely that we will pursue legislation on that subject,” he said.

If the court rules, however, that Iowa’s gay marriage ban is unconstitutional, there will certainly be calls to begin the lengthy process of amending the state constitutional to difine marriage as between a man and a woman.

The current General Assembly, which also meets next year, would have to approve a resolution calling for the amendment, and that resolution would also have to be approved by the General Assembly that takes office in 2011. It would then go before voters statewide in the 2012 election.

The issue doesn’t break strictly along partisan lines, but Republicans have been the harshest critics of gay marriage. So far, there doesn’t seem to be pressure from key GOP lawmakers to seek an amendment.

“We have two jobs in the legislature this year: help put Iowans back to work and pass a balanced budget,” said House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen. R-Hiawatha. “Those are our primary jobs. To the extent we get something else done on the side, I’m fine with that.”

Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton, seemed to leave the matter to Gronstal.

“Traditional marriage is between a man and a woman,” McKinley said. “If Mike Gronstal would let a bill come forward, we’d see 26 votes to pass it.”

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, said lawmakers hope to end this year’s session by the end of next week. That puts enormous pressure on any lawmaker who wants to deal with an emotional issue such as gay marriage.

“We’re going to encourage everybody to take a deep breath and analyze the decision,” said McCarthy, who is a lawyer. “The first things we’re going to do is read the legal decision and then make an intelligent decision of where we go from here.”