The Illinois House of Representatives has until Friday to pass a marriage equality bill as the session adjourns on May 31.
May 24 marked the deadline for consideration on Senate bills sent to
the House, but the deadline on the marriage bill has been extended, as
anticipated, to allow for a vote within the week. The House now has
until May 31 to vote on the bill.
Advocates are confident they have the votes to pass it:
"There's exactly one week left in the legislative session," Illinois
State Rep. Greg Harris (pictured), the measure's Democratic champion in the
chamber, said in a statement. "And let me make one thing clear: In the
next seven days, we can – and we will – secure the freedom to marry."
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, told ChicagoPride.com that he was confident the bill would pass.
No vote has yet been called. That is up to Harris, who has said he would call it when he felt there were votes to pass it. Harris told supporters he would "absolutely" do so in an email dated May 24.
Here's a cheat sheet from the AP on the bill's provisions and where it stands.
