The Maryland House has postponed a vote on marriage equality, sending the bill back to committee after several hours of debate, perhaps because supporters didn't feel it had the votes to pass.
The Washington Post reported the bill dead for this year.
Instead of voting on same-sex marriage on Friday, the House of Delegates has moved the bill backward — returning it to the committee that nearly killed it last week.
The high-stakes move saved the chamber's 141 members from having to declare a position on the divisive issue.
It's unclear what will happen next. The Senate signed off on the plan last month, but it has faced a rocky road in the House.
The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and other foes of equality have been threatening lawmakers over the vote in recent days.
NOM's Brian Brown tweeted after the House's actions that it was a "great day for marriage."
So disappointing.
