By The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — A proposal to ban Indianapolis and more than 100 other Indiana cities from ever changing their names has been approved by the state Senate.

Republican Sen. Jack Sandlin of Indianapolis said he sponsored the bill to prevent any movement toward renaming Indianapolis because it includes the word Indian following Native American protests that have led to the renaming of professional sports teams.

Senators voted 36-11 largely along party lines Tuesday to advance the proposal to the House for consideration. The bill would prohibit the four cities named in the state Constitution — Indianapolis, Clarksville, Vincennes and Evansville — and some 140 cities referenced in state laws from name changes.

The bill comes even though no efforts have emerged seeking to change the name of Indiana or Indianapolis.

Democratic Sen. Greg Taylor of Indianapolis opposed the bill, saying he thought it was a waste of the Legislature’s time by prohibiting something that “never, ever would have happened.”