May 13, 2013

Marriage equality

By Jacob Combs

The Minnesota state Senate has approved H.F. 1054, which will allow same-sex couples in the state to marry, on a 37-30 vote. The bill now goes to the Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat and equal marriage supporter, for his signature. Gov. Dayton plans to sign the bill into law tomorrow at 5 p.m. local time on the steps of the capitol building.

During the remarkably measured debate, the Senate voted to add the word ‘civil’ before references to marriage in the legislation, a change the House had also made that prompted Republican members in the lower chamber to vote in favor of the measure. An amendment that would have added broad religious exemptions language into the bill failed, as did an amendment to keep gendered language in Minnesota law as it pertains to opposite-sex couples’ marriages. “Today we have the awesome, humbling power to make dreams come true,” the bill’s chief sponsor, Scott Dibble, told his fellow legislators.

May has been a whirlwind month for marriage equality, with three new states now providing equal marriage rights to same-sex couples. On May 2, Rhode Island became the 10th state in the union with marriage equality; Delaware followed as the 11th state on May 7. Both states’ governors signed their respective bills into law the very same day they were given final legislative approval. Same-sex couples will be allowed to marry in Delaware starting July 1, and couples in both Rhode Island and Minnesota will be allowed to marry starting August 1.

Marriage equality legislation is currently pending in Illinois, where it was approved by the state Senate but has not been scheduled for a vote in the House. Last Friday, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called on legislators to pass the law, although it remains unclear if LGBT advocates have the votes they need in the House.

Equality news round-up: Today’s Minnesota... Gallup: Marriage equality supported by a clear...