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发帖数: 4174 | 1 Posted on Advocate.com February 16, 2012 10:40:00 AM ET
Maryland House Close to Passing Gay Marriage Bill
By Julie Bolcer and Andrew Harmon
MDDelegateWadeKachx390 (Screengrab) | Advocate.com
Wade Kach
The Maryland House of Delegates is scheduled to begin debate on a marriage
equality bill Thursday as advocates move closer to securing the number of
votes needed to pass the legislation. A final vote could come as soon as
Friday.
On Thursday morning, Delegate Wade Kach from Baltimore County become the
second Republican in the chamber to announce his support for the bill. The
delegate said his thinking on the issue had “evolved” over recent months
and that the enhanced religious exemptions in the bill championed by
Governor Martin O’Malley were “instrumental” to his decision to change
his vote.
"While no one event or conversation prompted me to come to this decision, I
was significantly moved by the testimony of families -- who are raising
children in a loving environment and deserve every right to enjoy the same
protections and responsibilities that our laws provide for others,” said
Wade in a statement.
According to the Baltimore Sun, “The move puts O'Malley closer to the 71
votes he needs for passage in the 141-member chamber, but it is still
unclear that supporters have the numbers they need. Lawmakers will begin
debating the marriage bill this morning. A final vote could come as soon as
Friday.”
“Kach's decision is stunning since he voted against the same-sex marriage
bill in committee on Monday night and is a co-sponsor of a different measure
that would define marriage as between a man and a woman,” the Sun reports.
Robert Costa of Anne Arundel County became the first House Republican to
support the marriage equality bill when he voted for it in committee Monday
night. A joint panel advanced the bill in a 25-18 vote.
The marriage equality bill failed to receive a floor vote last year in the
House of Delegates when advocates fell short of support. The bill passed the
Senate for the first time last year with bipartisan support.
"We're still moving toward the consensus of 71 votes on marriage equality,"
Gov. Martin O’Malley, who announced in July that he would support full
marriage rights for same-sex couples in the state, said at a Baltimore Sun
forum Wednesday evening. "If it weren't to pass, I don't see this issue
going away."
The Associated Press reports that during the House debate, amendments
opposed by marriage equality bill advocates will likely be offered to carve
out broad religious exemptions and legalize civil unions.
Opposition groups are already collecting signatures for a referendum on
marriage equality in Maryland: Only 53,650 signatures are needed to put the
issue on the ballot. | m******1
发帖数: 19713 | 2 好象文章中没提HOUSE到底还差几票？SENATE那边怎么样？ |
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