02/23/2007
Gay Marriage Action in Wyoming and Illinois
A legislator in Illinois has introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in that state. Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), the bill's sponsor, said: "It's the right thing to do." The "Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act" would substitute the phrase "two persons" for "a man and a woman" in language describing marriage. The language in the bill is attempted to persuade opponents of same-sex marriage on religious grounds that leaders of their faith would not be required to perform marriages. Said Harris: "We wanted to reaffirm in this bill that there is no religion, no church, no temple, no mosque that we are trying to compel to consecrate marriages." Harris, who is gay, said that in considering the legislation, the term "civil union" was brought up but thrown out because of its separate-but-equal status.
Meanwhile, in Wyoming, a bill that would have banned the state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere was killed by the House Rules Committee when committee chairman Roy Cohee cast the tie-breaking vote opposing the measure. Said Cohee: "Is it a responsible thing of government to say that, OK, as a government, we'll provide certain benefits, and entitlements and rights to the people of this country and of this state, unless you are this or that? Is that our responsibility to do that? I don't think it is."
Posted 2:45 PM EST by Andy in Gay Marriage, Illinois, News, Wyoming | Permalink
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Yes! Finally, Illinois is living up to its blue state cred.
Posted by: Tread | Feb 23, 2007 2:53:17 PM
Good news. Hooray!
Posted by: Jack! | Feb 23, 2007 3:00:00 PM
..And now we're talking.
Bring in the state laws!!!
Posted by: Da | Feb 23, 2007 3:16:04 PM
I couldn't be more proud of my home state. Sadly, legislators in the southern parts of the state (where I grew up) are going to fight this tooth and nail, despite the bills intention not to force churches to perform marriages.
But State Representative Harris has written this bill the right way by allow churces to exclude themselves (If they choose) from performing gay marriages is one of the ways to win the battle for equal rights.
Posted by: MississippiTim | Feb 23, 2007 3:17:41 PM
Sadly, I doubt the Illinois bill will go anywhere. Legislative bodies are so cowardly these days. Well, they've always been pretty cowardly...
Posted by: FanGirlHater | Feb 23, 2007 3:30:52 PM
Hooray for Roy Cohee!!!!!!
Posted by: peterparker | Feb 23, 2007 3:43:23 PM