Scott Dibble, Minnesota's Only Out Gay Senator Gives Emotional Speech on Marriage Equality: VIDEO

Senator Scott Dibble, the author of the marriage bill and the Senate's only out gay member, offered an emotional speech before the vote as his husband Richard Leyva looked on from the gallery. Dibble married Leyva in California in August of 2008.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

And don't miss Senator Tom Bakk's speech I posted earlier.

Celebration in Minnesota's Capitol Rotunda Moments After Marriage Equality Passes: VIDEO

A crappy cell phone camera may not be great at capturing images, but it is perfectly capable of transmitting joy.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

MN Senator Tom Bakk Gives Powerful, Moving Testimony About Gay Priest Who Married Him: VIDEO

Minnesota Majority Leader Tom Bakk wrapped up today's Senate testimony on marriage equality with a story about a longtime family friend who is gay. Bakk grew up at a boy's Bible camp where his dad was the camp director. In 1962 his dad recruited a college student to be a camp counselor who later went on to the seminary to become a Lutheran pastor.

Bakk recounted a conversation about the pastor, named Ray, that he had with his mother over this past weekend. She told him, "Ray was the best friend our family has ever had."

Bakk then listed off a number of difficult and intimate moments at which Ray had offered his support for his family when they were ill, or grieving, and sacrifices he had made for them.

Said Bakk:

"Ray knows a lot about marriage. Married a lot of couples. Counseled a lot of couples through the highs that marriages have and some of the deep disappointments that sometimes happen in marriage relationships. He felt the excitement and could see the excitement in a couple's eyes as he married them. He felt the excitement in mine. Because in 1976 he married me. A few years later he came out as being gay and his employer in the church didn't treat him very well, and he had a very difficult ministerial career after that. Today he is retired and lives in Minneapolis. But something has always bothered me. That over the decades of his friendship with our family he participated in and shared in the joy of so many marriages but could never have one of his own."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Michele Bachmann Tweets That She's Still 'Proud' of the Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment She Pushed in Minnesota

Michele Bachmann tweeted shortly before the Minnesota senate began their debate on marriage equality today:

"I’m proud to have introduced the original traditional marriage amendment, and I thank all Minnesotans who have worked so hard on this issue."

She has not yet tweeted about the result of today's vote in favor of marriage equality.

 

I’m proud to have introduced the original traditional marriage amendment, and I thank all Minnesotans who have worked so hard on this issue.

— Michele Bachmann (@MicheleBachmann) May 13, 2013

Minnesota to Become 12th State with Marriage Equality

Minnesota has approved marriage equality after several hours of debate in the state Senate and a vote of 37-30. It will become the 12th state in the nation (with the District of Columbia) to offer its citiizens the freedom to marry.

The House passed the bill last week in a 75-59 vote.

Minnesota is also the first state in the midwest to pass marriage equality by an act of the legislature. Iowa's marriage equality law was ushered in by the state Supreme Court.

The Star Tribune reports:

"It's historic and I can never be so proud of this body and of Minnesotans," said Sen. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis. On the Senate floor, Hayden said that his wife is white and noted that just 50 years ago, his loving relationship would have been barred.

Three Democrats – Sens. LeRoy Stumpf, Dan Sparks and Lyle Koenen –  voted against the bill. One Republican, Sen. Branden Petersen, voted yes.

Up until the last moments, some opponents had hoped the bill would fail despite clear indications that it would head to the Dayton’s desk.

Sen. Dan Hall, R-Burnsville, said up until the last he was praying for a miracle and the Senate to reject the bill.
“Some people have said that they are concerned about being on the right side of history. I am more concerned about being on the right side of eternity,” said Hall.

Governor Mark Dayton will sign the bill into law in a ceremony tomorrow at 5 pm on the steps of the state Capitol.

Watch the breaking news report on the vote from KSTP, AFTER THE JUMP...

St. Paul, Minnesota Mayor Chris Coleman Renames Wabasha Bridge the 'Freedom to Marry Bridge'

St. Paul, Minnesota mayor Chris Coleman is celebrating the state's expected passage of marriage equality today by renaming the bridge that spans the Mississippi in its honor.

Tweeted Coleman: "I renamedthe WabashaBridge 2 the Freedom to Marry Bridge for this week. Marriage equality here we come"

Join us at 1 pm ET for the debate and vote.

 

I renamedthe WabashaBridge 2 the Freedom to Marry Bridge for this week. Marriage equality here we come #Time4Marriage twitter.com/mayorcoleman/s…

— Chris Coleman (@mayorcoleman) May 13, 2013