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Illinois & Rhode Island lawmakers introduce gay marriage bills, both likely to pass

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I

ivysaur12

Banned
Both are introduced this week. Expect swift action --

Illinois:

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Ill-Marriage-to-be-considered-as-early-as-tomorrow/40987.html

Years of pushing by marriage equality advocates in Illinois, could result in movement as soon as tomorrow.

The Senate will be in session Wednesday afternoon, and LGBT leaders say that a vote on a bill seeking gay marriage is likely to come sooner rather than later.

Sen. Heather Steans tells Windy City Times that she wants to see a vote on Thursday.

"Contact your legislators," Steans said.

Steans said the bill should be in committee tomorrow evening by 5:30 p.m. She intends to call the bill to a vote on Thursday, she said.

But anything is possible, she added. Several lawmakers have been on vacation for the holidays, and absences may delay a vote.

Both the House and Senate have until Jan. 9, when new legislators are sworn in, to pass a bill. Failing that deadline, LGBT supporters would have to begin lobbying efforts with a fresh set of lawmakers next session. Still, they would be doing so with a Democratic supermajority.

But Steans has indicated to local media that she believes the votes are close and that she hopes to pass the bill in the Senate so that it can be sent on to the House early next week.

That has LGBT rights activists traveling to Springfield tomorrow to lobby for the bill.

LGBT activists and pro-gay lawmakers are urging supports to call their legislators immediately, regardless of their stance, and ask them to support the bill.

Windy City Times will continue to update our marriage coverage throughout the week. Check back for updates.
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http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130102/news/701029816/

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady of St. Charles is calling GOP lawmakers asking them to support a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage, he said today.

Brady said he was making the calls as a citizen, outside of his official role with the Illinois Republican Party.

"I think it's time for people to support this," Brady said.

And on the other side, Chicago Cardinal Francis George has released a letter urging lawmakers to reject making Illinois the next state to allow same-sex marriages.

"Marriage comes to us from nature. The human species comes in two complementary sexes, male and female. Their sexual union is called marital," the letter reads. "It not only creates a place of love for two adults but also a home for loving and raising their children. It provides the biological basis forpersonal identity."

Lawmakers in Springfield could begin debating the issue at a hearing as early as tonight. Lawmakers approved civil unions two years ago by narrow margins, so a vote on same-sex marriage could be similarly close.

The Illinois Senate is set to convene this afternoon, and same-sex marriage and gun control are two controversial issues lawmakers might begin discussing.

The high-profile debate over teachers' and state workers' pensions isn't likely to continue until the Illinois House convenes on Sunday.

A new class of lawmakers is set to be sworn in Jan. 9, when all legislation resets. Supporters of controversial proposals of all kinds see the about three dozen lame-duck members in Springfield as possible keys to winning approval.
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Rhode Island:

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Legislation allowing gay couples to marry in Rhode Island will be introduced on Thursday, the bill's longtime sponsor, state Rep. Arthur Handy, said Tuesday, the opening day of the 2013 General Assembly session.

Handy, a Cranston Democrat, said the bill is already drafted, but that he needs Wednesday's second legislative day to gather signatures from co-sponsors, who will include openly gay House Speaker Gordon D. Fox, D-Providence.

A key point of debate will be how the bill addresses concerns from religious groups.

Handy has said that the legislation will include, as it has in past versions, language granting religious groups protections, if they object to same sex unions as a matter of their religious beliefs.

Citing the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, a 2011 version of Handy's gay marriage bill stated that every religious institution has "exclusive control over its own religious doctrine, policy, and teachings regarding who may marry within their faith, and on what terms."

It declared that "no court or other state or local governmental body, entity, agency or commission shall compel, prevent, or interfere in any way with any religious institution's decisions about marriage eligibility within that particular faith's tradition."

And it stated that "ordained clergy, ministers or elders [...] shall not be obligated or otherwise required by law to officiate at any particular civil marriage or religious rite of marriage."
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Also expect votes to come up this year (and pass) in Hawaii, Delaware, Minnesota and possibly New Jersey.

Marriage equality is legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Iowa, Washington D.C., New York, Washington, Maine, and Maryland.
 
Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
Future congratulations to these States and the Couples that will get married.
 
R

RumblingRosco

Member
Illinois GAF here as well; I expect a whole lot of hatred on my Facebook feed because of all my bigoted distant relatives when this thing passes. Should be a good excuse to defriend them though.
 
B

BatDan

Bane? Get them on board, I'll call it in.
Illinois GAF here, I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner. I look forward to all the anger and salt.
 
A

A.E Suggs

Member
Well that's actually surprising to say the least being that a lot of people in Illinois seems to not give a shit about a lot of things. Still this is good news and if I ever want to take advantage of it instead of going between indiana and illinois I can.
 
B

BertramCooper

Banned
It sucks that the GOP-dominated Ohio General Assembly would never ever pass gay marriage. We'll have to do it at the ballot box, but I think we could potentially succeed within the next 5 years.

But even if our legislature did pass it, it would still end up being decided on Election Day. That's just how things work here.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
BertramCooper said:
It sucks that the GOP-dominated Ohio General Assembly would never ever pass gay marriage. We'll have to do it at the ballot box, but I think we could potentially succeed within the next 5 years.

But even if our legislature did pass it, it would still end up being decided on Election Day. That's just how things work here.
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Probably the next presidential election would be the most feasible time that you could pass it at the ballot box in Ohio. Same with other likely blue states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia.

Oregon will probably legalize it in 2014.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
ivysaur12 said:
Probably the next presidential election would be the most feasible time that you could pass it at the ballot box in Ohio. Same with other likely blue states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia.

Oregon will probably legalize it in 2014.
Click to expand...

What about Colorado?
 
A

A.E Suggs

Member
ElectricBlanketFire said:
Chicago is staunchly liberal, but that's not the case for a large part of the state.
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Chicago is, but see Illinois people in general are kinda odd(this may not be an actual Il. thing but its the only place I really see it at), I know people personally that dislike gay people yet will vote for gay marriage.

Maybe it just matters the culture, there are even some conservatives here that are for gay marriage, they just aren't for other things like welfare or giving black people jobs.
 
V

Veritas_

Member
ivysaur12 said:
Probably the next presidential election would be the most feasible time that you could pass it at the ballot box in Ohio. Same with other likely blue states like Pennsylvania, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia.

Oregon will probably legalize it in 2014.
Click to expand...

I'm looking forward to the day, but I don't expect Michigan to make progress as quickly. Civil unions aren't recognized under constitutional amendment.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
Veritas_ said:
I'm looking forward to the day, but I don't expect Michigan to make progress as quickly. Civil unions aren't recognized under constitutional amendment.
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In 4 years? It's very likely that amendment can be overturned.

What about Colorado?
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Yes, them too. That's a potential for 2014 along with Oregon. They'll want to see how the polling goes, most likely.
 
G

GSR

Member
Nice. Hope the bills get through pretty quickly.

Gonna be a while before it has any shot here in Wisconsin, though.
 
S

speculawyer

Member
It is kinda amazing to think that only 8 years ago this was a "use this bring conservative voters to the polls & win" wedge issue.

Now it is used as a wedge issue on the opposite side.


“The Arc of the Moral Universe Is Long, but It Bends Toward Justice”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

Balphon said:
Major cities?

Peoria is flattered.
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Will it play there?
 
D

Dany

Banned
ehlxld.gif


I meant to post this earlier. :p
 
B

BowieZ

Banned
"Marriage comes to us from nature. The human species comes in two complementary sexes, male and female. Their sexual union is called marital," the letter reads. "It not only creates a place of love for two adults but also a home for loving and raising their children. It provides the biological basis forpersonal identity."
Click to expand...
How do spurious arguments like this not get torn to shreds in legislative assemblies/tribunals? There is absolutely no logical argument against gay marriage that doesn't resort to reverting to the faith-based assertion that "The Bible doesn't permit it" (even though that there are essentially no verses unequivocally forbidding homosexuality in the original Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek scriptures).
 
J

Jacob

Member
Great to hear! Maryland's new marriage law just went into effect on January 1 so I've been hearing a lot about that too. I'm really happy to see more progress being made.
 
WX3

WX3

Member
Illinois GAF! My wife and I have a gay friend and this will make him happy. I don't know anyone personally that would be opposed to this either, which is hard to say these days. I guess surrounding myself with decent like-minded people may be something I unknowingly am good at?

Congrats to everyone else this news effects!
 
A

Aaron Strife

Banned
ErasureAcer said:
Meanwhile in Minnesota the Dem Senate Majority leader is a fucking coward.
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I'm absolutely for gay marriage but I can totally understand this. A lot of Democrats in the legislature were elected in Pro-Amendment districts, some overwhelmingly. Even if it is just a political calculation, representatives do need to represent their constituents to some degree.

I'm sure there'll be a vote on civil unions, just because that tends to be the safest route. As Illinois has shown, that doesn't always mean marriage is kicked down the road for a decade either.

I will be out in the damn streets when gay marriage is legalized here.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
Aaron Strife said:
I'm absolutely for gay marriage but I can totally understand this. A lot of Democrats in the legislature were elected in Pro-Amendment districts, some overwhelmingly. Even if it is just a political calculation, representatives do need to represent their constituents to some degree.

I'm sure there'll be a vote on civil unions, just because that tends to be the safest route. As Illinois has shown, that doesn't always mean marriage is kicked down the road for a decade either.

I will be out in the damn streets when gay marriage is legalized here.
Click to expand...

They're still going to introduce a gay marriage bill later this year, hopefully with Republican support from suburban districts that voted no. It's very unlikely any states will go for civil unions anymore. It's proven to be a terrible compromise.

Vote should come as early as 11am CST. I'll post updates.
 
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