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

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N

Nappuccino

Member
I might have to do a write in vote. I didn't even do that for the election (because come-on, how would Obama lose in IL?)
 
B

Black Republican

Member
Illinois Senators may be voting on marriage equality as early as this morning, after backers of bill changed course and tacked marriage equality onto another bill already scheduled for vote.
Illinois Senators will no longer be voting on the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, a bill that LGBT leaders had been working for months to gain support on. Instead, the legalization of gay marriage had been added as a Senate amendment to HB4963, a bill that deals with automobile rentals and the Collateral Recovery Act, according to Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov.

The move comes after Senate Democrats failed to secure enough votes to waive a 24-hour rule on the posting of the bill Wednesday night. That could have delayed a vote on marriage a day or more.

The amendment will allow the Senate to vote on the bill as early as 11 a.m. this morning.

"Everything can change at a moment's notice," said Cherkasov. "It's still absolutely crucial that people contact their lawmakers."

Rick Garcia, policy advisor of The Civil Rights Agenda, expressed similar sentiments.

"It's a technical way for us to get the bill moving," said Garcia. "It's imperative that they contact their Senator today."

Senator Heather Steans, sponsor of the marriage bill, filed an amendment to HB4963 Wednesday. Steans is also sponsoring that bill.

The move means that LGBT families who had trekked to Springfield will not be testifying on the marriage equality as anticipated. Other testimony will likewise go unheard.

Check back throughout the day for updates.
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http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/...-as-an-amendment-likely-vote-today/41030.html all these states pushing for gay marriage all so soon together is really great
 
L

Like the hat?

Banned
Too bad cardinal George is being a piece of shit and the only people that generally write to their representatives are the ones urging a no vote.
 
T

The Abominable Snowman

Member
Now that the gangsters in Chicago can express their love for each other more openly, hopefully this means a reduction for the gun crime and homicide rate in Chicago.

Can't go out robbing and whatnot when you are the homemakerman and your husband works the 9 to 5.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
Gabotron ES said:
LTTP: 21st century
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Not really. I'm as much for marriage equality as the next guy, but there are comparably few countries that have it legalized. And honestly? The United States has been ahead of the curb in most respects, especially considering how conservative we are compared to other western nations.

Countries with marriage equality:

Argentina
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
Iceland
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
South Africa
Spain
Sweden

Countries with marriage equality in some jurisdictions:

Brazil
Mexico
United Sates of America

jiggle said:
so referendums during midterm?
that's not good
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Neither state has a referendum process like Maryland, Maine, or Washington.
 
R

reggieandTFE

Member
Jimothy said:
Isn't Illinois basically the South outside of the major cities??
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Not really. People outside of Chicago, the collar counties and now even the increasingly democratic exurban counties tend to vote for Republicans, but they tend to be of the moderate variety. Of course, that also used to be true in Wisconsin and we've seen where that's gone...
 
R

reggieandTFE

Member
dorkimoe said:
It probably wont get passed in illinois, we are way behind the times
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The Ds have a super-majority in the House, almost a super-majority in the Senate and Quinn is going to get his ass whooped in the Democratic primary by Labor so he needs some new allies (ie, Rich Gays.)
 
V

Volimar

Member
I'll be very pleasantly surprised if this passes in Illinois. I doubt I'd see it in my home state of Ohio in my lifetime, provided it isn't made legal in the courts somehow.
 
B

BertramCooper

Banned
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.
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That's my thought as well. However, John Kasich is going to find himself in an incredibly tough gubernatorial election in '14 thanks to the Senate Bill 5 debacle. If the unions turn out to support a Democratic challenger as expected, and you can get the unions to support a SSM initiative, it might work. But '16 seems like a much safer bet.

Hopefully the Democratic presidential candidate in '16 will be able to replicate Obama's ground game in Ohio and tie a SSM initiative to it, backed by the Ohio Democratic Party.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
BertramCooper said:
That's my thought as well. However, John Kasich is going to find himself in an incredibly tough gubernatorial election in '14 thanks to the Senate Bill 5 debacle. If the unions turn out to support a Democratic challenger as expected, and you can get the unions to support a SSM initiative, it might work. But '16 seems like a much safer bet.

Hopefully the Democratic presidential candidate in '16 will be able to replicate Obama's ground game in Ohio and tie a SSM initiative to it, backed by the Ohio Democratic Party.
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Ohio's tricky. While it's very likely that a measure could pass in Oregon in 2014 (and somewhat likely in Colorado), it's probably better safe than sorry in Ohio to wait until 2016.
 
S

someday

Banned
A.E Suggs said:
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.
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That's really interesting. As long as they aren't against the legal aspects I suppose I can't worry too much about their personal feelings (on this one issue).

Anyway, I'm happy to hear about more states making this change. I live in Washington and it was amazing how I felt after November's election. So many things that I really didn't expect to see in my lifetime. I was born in 1970. Times have really changed and that snowball is gathering speed quicker than I imagined. Good luck guys!
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
Illinois vote pushed because too many members were missing from the floor today who were supporters of marriage equality.
 
S

sangreal

Member
KibblesBits said:
Actually, the Rhode Island of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations IS an island. That area is known as Newport County.
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No, that's Newport as you said. Rhode Island (and the Providence Plantations) is a state, and it isn't an island despite being named after an old island (now Newport). There is no longer any island called Rhode Island. I pointed it out because the poster said he knew people on Rhode Island.
 
S

SnakeswithLasers

Member
ivysaur12 said:
Not really. I'm as much for marriage equality as the next guy, but there are comparably few countries that have it legalized. And honestly? The United States has been ahead of the curb in most respects, especially considering how conservative we are compared to other western nations.
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I'm trying to picture this.
 
K

KibblesBits

Member
sangreal said:
No, that's Newport as you said. Rhode Island (and the Providence Plantations) is a state, and it isn't an island despite being named after an old island (now Newport). There is no longer any island called Rhode Island. I pointed it out because the poster said he knew people on Rhode Island.
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Newport County(Aquidneck Island to be specific), was the Rhode Island of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Obviously there is no longer an island simply called Rhode Island in the state, but the biggest island of Newport County was that Rhode Island once. Just like the northern part of the state was mainly plantation for a while or unsettled swamps once. So while the poster is not entirely accurate, he is not entirely wrong either.
 
S

Sutton Dagger

Member
Watching it now. It really does highlight that there isn't a rational objection to same-sex marriage. It's irrelevant that you have faith regarding its legitimacy, what we need is a reasonable debate regarding the evidence for or against, and so far the anti gay marriage group has supplied nothing.

The idea that 'faith' is something that should be respected is asinine.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
Passes out of committee 8-5, some Republicans have mentioned in that committee that they could vote for the bill if some of the religious protections are hashed out.

Sobriquet said:
So it just passed?
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Moved out of committee. It's unclear what's going to happen because of conflicting reports. It's possible they could vote on the bill tonight. They might call a special session to vote on it as well.

It's unclear when a full Senate vote would take place. The Senate will have to be called back for a special session on Jan. 8 if they are take up marriage equality before Jan. 9, the close of the lame duck session.
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They could also take it up tonight, but who knows if that will happen.

Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, dismissed a question on whether she ever had a solid 30 votes lined up to pass the legislation. "Oh, no, no, no," Steans said. "We really did have the votes. We were just missing members today."

Such are the political dynamics of a lame-duck session in Springfield: some lawmakers who are in their final days of service don't show up to work, making it difficult to pass tough legislation.
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Rei no Otaku

Rei no Otaku

Member
KibblesBits said:
Newport County(Aquidneck Island to be specific), was the Rhode Island of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Obviously there is no longer an island simply called Rhode Island in the state, but the biggest island of Newport County was that Rhode Island once. Just like the northern part of the state was mainly plantation for a while or unsettled swamps once. So while the poster is not entirely accurate, he is not entirely wrong either.
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RI Gaf here and while you're right, no Rhode Islander calls Newport "Rhode Island." In fact most locals probably wouldn't know what you're talking about if you did.

Anyway, glad to see my state finally make marriage equal. I always thought it was strange we hadn't yet considering how liberal the state is.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
On the subject of the Islands of Rhode Island...

http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode-island/2013/01/03/gay-marriage-bills-introduced-house-senate/ASzBkwgzXrRcOguFnlbDAJ/story.html

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Gay marriage legislation has been introduced in both chambers of Rhode Island’s General Assembly, setting the state for another high-profile debate over the contentious issue in the only New England state that doesn’t allow gay and lesbian couples to wed.

Democratic Rep. Art Handy of Cranston introduced his bill in the House Thursday afternoon. More than 40 members of the 75-member House signed on as co-sponsors.

Moments later, Democratic Sen. Donna Nesselbush of Pawtucket introduced her version of the legislation, which has 11 sponsors in the 38-member Senate.

House Speaker Gordon Fox has called for a gay marriage vote in the House this month. The measure faces a potentially bigger challenge in the Senate, however.

Nesselbush, who is a lesbian, called the introduction of the legislation ‘‘history in the making.’’
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There are 32 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 1 Independent in the RI Senate. The biggest issue so far is that the Senate President, Paiva Weed, is a staunch Catholic and hasn't brought the bill to a vote in years past. She says she will this term.
 
D

Dead Man

Member
ivysaur12 said:
On the subject of the Islands of Rhode Island...

http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode-island/2013/01/03/gay-marriage-bills-introduced-house-senate/ASzBkwgzXrRcOguFnlbDAJ/story.html



There are 32 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 1 Independent in the RI Senate. The biggest issue so far is that the Senate President, Paiva Weed, is a staunch Catholic and hasn't brought the bill to a vote in years past. She says she will this term.
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A Senate leader can block legislation like that? Oh well, good it's going now I guess.
 
I

ivysaur12

Banned
Dead Man said:
A Senate leader can block legislation like that? Oh well, good it's going now I guess.
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Yeah, the Senate Leader decides what legislation gets brought forward and what doesn't.

Because of the kerfuffle with people missing from yesterday's votes on the floor, the measure has been pushed to next session (next Thursday) in Illinois, where the Democrats have a supermajority in the House and Senate. It'll pass, just not this week.
 
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