JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Gov. Bob Holden on Friday quietly signed into law a bill restoring Missouri's ban on same-sex marriages.

Holden signed the legislation hours before a public ceremony for other bills and on the last day possible for him to either approve or veto legislation.

``I really wanted to spare the state the battle of discussion over this,'' Holden said. ``This is a divisive issue.''

The new law also refuses to recognize same-sex marriage ceremonies performed out of state.

More than 30 other states have similar bans. Only Vermont gives same-sex couples the rights of married heterosexual couples.

Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan privately signed a bill banning same-sex marriages in Missouri in 1996. But the law was invalidated when a court ruled the bill dealt with too many other unrelated subjects.