Way up yonder, in Charlie Country, home of the Berry Blog, the Maine House of Representatives approved a bill to allow marriage equality. Before its final vote, the House defeated an amendment to send it out to referendum.
The vote was 89-to-57.
The packed gallery cheered when the bill was passed. The bill now heads back to the Senate where it is expected to be enacted sometime this morning. No holding 'em back, now! But it's not all roses. Governor John Baldacci has not said whether he would sign the marriage bill into law, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature.
And supporters of traditional marriage--or as I like to call 'em, supporters of discrimination--have said they will start a People's Veto. That means they need to gather 55,087 signatures in the ninety days following adjournment of the legislative session.
Good luck with that.
Repugnant Representative Michael Celli opposed the bill, saying he preferred an alternative bill that died in committee, that would have extended the same rights and benefits of marriage to couples on the Maine Domestic Partner Registry but would not have changed the definition of marriage.
That would be Separate But Equal, asshat.
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In related news, the D.C. Council voted 13-0, without debate, to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. If Congress does not intervene, council member David A. Catania has said that he will introduce a separate bill this year to allow same-sex marriages to be performed in the District.
Attorney Mark Levine believes that, according to District law, the same-sex marriage question cannot be put before voters. He said local election law forbids a vote on a matter that violates the District's Human Rights Act, which states that the government cannot "limit or refuse to provide any facility, service, program, or benefit" to any individual on the basis of sexual orientation.
An update to this story: a second vote was taken and D.C. councilmember Marion Barry changed his vote to No, because he didn't realize what he was voting on.
Further update: Now Barry is saying that he voted No so the vote would not be unanimous.
Marion Barry. A moron for all season.
I'm pleased to announce that the foes of equal rights in WA don't think their referendum will gain enough signatures to make it to the ballot! (This is a house bill that allows all the rights of marriage to partnerships - one step, a good step, on the way).
ReplyDeleteJust a reminder that Councilman Marion Barry is the same person as former Mayor Marion Barry, who served prison time for a drug conviction.
ReplyDelete