Democratic state Representative Jim Moeller announced last week that he will join dozens of other legislators in introducing a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the 2012 Legislature.
“Let’s trust adults to make the call — not any state office, agency, or bureaucracy — when it comes to adult decisions such as marital vows.”
Washington already has one of the most sweeping domestic partnership laws in the nation, and, though marriage equality has failed to pass after repeated attempts--most recently in the 2011 session--Moeller said he’s optimistic that the 2012 bill will make it into law.
“Our objective is to strengthen the social and legal protections for average, mainstream Washington families — the men, women and their children who make their homes in our communities and neighborhoods.”
Moeller did emphasize that the marriage equality legislation he proposes will protect the rights of clergy and religious institutions to determine for whom to perform marriage ceremonies and which marriages to recognize. You know, separation of church and state, as it should be.
And Moeller does seem to be on track with his proposed legislation. In a series of Washington state polls, 43% of those polled agreed with the statement: “Gay and lesbian couples should have the same legal right to marry as straight couples.”
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| Jim Moeller |
Moeller said the right to marry is not only deeply personal but also important to the larger society:
“Strong, healthy families promote social stability and prosperous economic growth. Couples who have obtained civil-marriage licenses have committed themselves to one another in heart and mind. The state, then, has a responsibility to establish the legal, ethical and common-sense protections that are realized through a bona fide marriage contract.”Come on, Washington, you've just about made it to full equality for gay and lesbian couples. Now make that final step.
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When they passed the 'everything but marriage' bill the OtherSide (for want of a better term) put it on the ballot and they lost. Wonder if they will try the same thing this time? (Being optimistic and predicting that it will pass the legislature.) I think they are looking ahead. 2012 a big election year with Presidential and a wide open Governor's race here. Being a blue state this would be a smart move.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for a big win for marriage equality, but I'm not really holding out much hope. Some how, some way the NOM-ers will roll out their hate-mobile again.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note...have you ever noticed that NOM is also a geek word? As defined by urbandictionary.com, "An expression of eating, or a sound thereof." And isnt that just what NOM has done to our marriage hopes and dreams? Ate them right up.
the movement is going forward
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