O'Malley Signs Maryland Marriage Equality Bill!

Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley signed Maryland's marriage equality bill into law on Thursday February 29th, making his state the 8th state in the country to currently have a same-sex marriage law on the books. However, since the bill will not go into effect until January 1, 2013, there will be no actual marriages in Maryland until a November 2012 referendum on the law is resolved.

Heterosexual supremacists have already announced that they intend to place the question on the ballot, and thus have until July 1, 2012 to collect 55,736 signatures and must also submit at least one third of that amount, 18,579 by June 1, 2012.

But February 29th was all about celebrating a long journey to have Maryland join the other states in the Union which have ended illegal gender discrimination in civil marriage (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa, New York, New Hampshire and Washington). Governor O'Malley himself used to oppose marriage equality and only supported civil unions but has since moved enthusiastically into the pro-marriage equality camp and demonstrate that by his willingness to sign the bill in front of television cameras and then open the Governor's mansion for a celebration afterwards.



Maryland is the third state legislature to pass a marriage equality bill in 2012 (following Washington State on February 8, 2012 and New Jersey on February 17, 2012) with the two Democratic Governors (like Chris Gregoire in Washington and O'Malley in Maryland signing the bills into law, both of which will be faced with referendum campaigns to annull these measures at the ballot box. In New Jersey, Republican Governor Chris Christie vetoed his state's marriage equality bill, but said he would have signed it into law if it included a referendum provision, which is anathema to Democratic legislators and LGBT activists in New Jersey.

Congratulations to Maryland! Now let's make sure same-sex couples will have the right to protect their families with all the responsibilities and privileges of civil marriage starting in January 2013 by defeating any campaign to prevent the bill from going into effect.

MD: Senate Passes Marriage Equality Bill 25-22!

Woo hoo! The Maryland State Senate completed work on  HB 438, the Civil Marriage Protection Act, by passing the legislation on a 25-22 vote, sending the measure to Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley who has promised to sign it into law.

NGLTF's Executive Director Rea Carey made a statement:

“Maryland and marriage equality will certainly make a lovely couple. Maryland is the Free State, after all. To be able to share and celebrate one's love and commitment both publicly and legally is a lifelong dream for thousands of same-sex couples and their families. It’s thrilling that Maryland is poised to make this a reality by becoming the latest state to treat its families fairly. This has been a long journey of changing hearts and minds, of breaking down walls, of shining a spotlight on our common humanity. Congratulations to Equality Maryland, Marylanders for Marriage Equality and all those who have been part of the journey leading to this victory.”

By this action Maryland will likely become the 8th state to legalize marriage equality. However, as I noted earlier in a blog post, it is not clear if the law will actually go into effect January 1, 2013 due to the referendum process in Maryland.

Heterosexual supremacists have until May 31st to gather 55,736 signatures to put the measure up for a vote on the November 6, 2012 ballot. Whether same-sex couples will be able to get married will depend on the outcome of the vote.

Maryland House Passes Marriage Equality 71-67!

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (D)

On the same day (within hours actually) that Republican Governor Chris Christie joined the wrong side of history by vetoing marriage equality legislation passed by the New Jersey legislature the day before, Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley showed the potency of his political capital with the 71-67 passage of a marriage equality bill in the Maryland House of Delegates.

Just one year ago, the Maryland House of Delegates had failed to even vote on a marriage equality bill after it passed the Maryland State Senate. During that vote, it revealed a lack of political will, even among allegedly progressive politicians like Sam Arora who had campaigned on their support for marriage equality then changed their minds when the vote became a reality.

The news today that Republican politicians like the karmically challenged Ken Mehlman and even the odious Dick Cheney were lobbying legislators in favor of the marriage equality legislation while Sam Arora was refusing to take a public stand roiled the LGBT blogosphere.

Governor O'Malley released a statement:

“Today, the House of Delegates voted for human dignity. Speaker Busch and his fellow Delegates deserve a lot of credit for their hard work. At its heart, their vote was a vote for Maryland’s children….Now, as the Senate prepares to vote, all of us are needed – and we’re prepared to redouble our efforts. The common thread running through our efforts together in Maryland is the thread of human dignity; the dignity of work, the dignity of faith, the dignity of family, the dignity of every individual. Love is an unalienable right.”

As for Arora? He voted no (again). There are numerous people, yours truly included, who have a decided interest in making sure that his vote today against equality for all (after being personally lobbied by phone to vote yes by Bill Clinton, Governor O'Malley and Terry Mcauliffe) was a career-ending decision.

The bill is expected to pass the State Senate fairly quickly and be enthusiastically signed into law by Governor O'Malley, who becomes another 2016 Democratic presidential contender and sitting Governor who fought for marriage equality in his state (following in the footsteps of New York governor Andrew Cuomo and Washington governor Chris Gregoire). Only New York will definitely have marriage in 2013, because there is no practical process by which the state's marriage equality law can be challenged by referendum.

It also means that the 2012 elections will have three affirmative marriage equality ballot fights (if we win then same-sex couples can get married) in Maryland, Washington and Maine and two defensive marriage equality ballot fights (if we lose then marriage equality is banned at the state constitutional level) in North Carolina and Minnesota. Interestingly, all 5 states are considered "blue" (Democratic) states likely to cast their votes for President Barack Obama.

A serious question will need to be asked: do you spend more money on defense (North Carolina and Minnesota) or on offense (Washington, Maryland and Maine)? Plus there's the possible election of Tammy Baldwin as the first openly LGBT member of the United States Senate from Wisconsin.

It's definitely going to be an interesting election year!

POLL: Majority of Maryland Supports Marriage Equalty

The Washington Post published a poll on Tuesday which demonstrates the inexorable growth in the support for marriage equality in the state of marriage, indicating that it has reached majority support for the first time. 50% of respondents support marriage equality compared to 44% which oppose it.

The new poll found a sharp divide among Maryland Democrats based on race. Among whites, 71 percent support same-sex marriage, while 24 percent do not. Among blacks, 41 percent are supportive, while 53 percent are opposed. Maryland has the largest percentage of African Americans of any state outside of the Deep South.

[...]

The poll found that nearly three-quarters of those opposed to gay nuptials say their views stem primarily from their religious beliefs — a factor that makes lobbying on the issue more challenging.

By contrast, only 5 percent of same-sex marriage supporters say their views are largely shaped by religious beliefs. 

[...]

The Post poll found that among adult residents younger than 40, support for same-sex marriage is 63 percent, with 33 percent opposed. Among those 40 and older, 42 percent are in favor, while 51 percent are opposed.

Note that phrase again: 74% of people who oppose providing civil marriage licenses to same-sex couples cite their religious beliefs as a reason for their opposition. What part of civil marriage do they not understand? Just because someone has a marriage which your religion does not support or sanction is no reason to impose your religious beliefs in an area of public policy which applies to everyone. Civil marriages  are completely separate from church (mosque/temple) weddings!

It is so mind-boggling to me that religious people never think that they could be discriminated against because of their religious beliefs but they have no qualms about discriminating against other people who do NOT share their religious beliefs. Have they never heard of the golden rule (do unto others as they would do unto you)?

O Flying Spaghetti Monster, this just makes me so happy that I'm an atheist!

WA: Majority Of Senators Support Marriage Equality

Excellent news! In Washington State, there is now a majority of Senators who have publicly announced their support for pending marriage equality legislation.

According to the Seattle Times ("Legislature has the votes"):

Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, announced Monday that she supports gay-marriage legislation in the Senate, giving proponents the 25 votes needed for passage.

The state House already has enough lawmakers in support of the measure to approve it. Gov. Chris Gregoire backs the bill as well.

[...]

"I know this announcement makes me the so-called 25th vote, the vote that ensures passage. That's neither here nor there. If I were the first or the seventh or the 28th vote, my position would not be any different," Haugen said in a statement.

"I happen to be the 25th because I insisted on taking this much time to hear from my constituents and to sort it out for myself, to reconcile my religious beliefs with my beliefs as an American, as a legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny to others the joys and benefits I enjoy," she added. Haugen said her preference would be to send the issue to voters to decide, but there aren't the votes in the Legislature to do that.

It is widely expected that the same heterosexual supremacists who forced a referendum in 2009 on Washington's comprehensive domestic partnership bill (which they lost!) will do so again when Governor Gregoire signs the marriage equality bill into law.

The legislative majority correctly is refusing to include a ballot measure provision in the legislation because marriage equality is a civil right and they are supporting the  principle that the rights of a minority should not be decided by a majority vote.

In other exciting marriage news, the Democratic Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley is expected to introduce a marriage equality bill today.

Hat/tip to Joe.My.God.