Maryland House approves same-sex marriage

The Washington Times ^ | February 17, 2012 | David Hill

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

ANNAPOLIS — The House voted Friday night to approve Gov. Martin O'Malley’s same-sex marriage bill, sending the legislation to the Senate and clearing what was likely its most formidable legislative hurdle.

The chamber voted 72-67 in favor of the bill, which would make Maryland the eighth state along with the District to pass legislation allowing gay marriage.

The vote drew cheers from many visitors in the House chamber balcony and touched off a celebration among the bill’s supporters, many of whom exchanged hugs and shed tears after leaving the chamber.

“It’s an amazing day here in Maryland,” said Delegate Heather D. Mizeur, a Montgomery Democrat who is openly gay. “Our time has finally come to have love free of fear and to bring a measure of equality to every family in this state.”

The bill’s supporters reached 72 votes — one more than the 71 needed for passage in the 141-member chamber — by securing support in the past week from two Republicans and three Democrats who were formerly undecided or in opposition to the bill.

The final vote came Friday afternoon, when the House accepted an amendment to the bill proposed by Delegate Tiffany Alston, Prince George’s Democrat who withdrew her co-sponsorship of last year’s failed bill and voted against this year’s bill in a Tuesday committee vote.

Ms. Alston chose to support this year’s bill after passage of the amendment, which stipulates that a gay-marriage law would not go into effect until after any potential lawsuits over a referendum effort are resolved.

House members debated the bill for about two hours Friday night, giving impassioned speeches that ranged from defending marriage as between a man and woman to lauding gay marriage as a civil right whose time has come.

[the OlLine Rebel]

“we still have enough straight Marylanders”

We have more than enough blacks.

Blacks don’t like homos.

What a tangled web Dems weave.

[LonelyCon]

I see where you’re going with this: in some of the states that have gay marriage now, it was imposed by courts, and you’re right to make that point. But the sad fact is there are actually more states where the legislature has passed gay marriage legislation (though in some it hasn’t gone into effect yet, was vetoed by the governor or was rejected by popular vote).

These legislatures have voted for gay marriage:

Connecticut
New Hampshire
New York
New Jersey
Washington
California
Vermont
Maine
[District of Columbia]

[gingerales]

Has to be MoCo.

Any source for the roll call yet?

[Venturer]

I haven’t found one.

I would bet my Democrat Delegate from St. Mary’s Coutny voted against it, but if I find out different he will hear strongly from me.

[Venturer]

I just found this. I knew my man had voted against it. He is a good man. The trash that voted for it are just that Trash.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/maryland-politics/post/md-same-sex-marriage-how-the-house-voted/2012/02/17/gIQALC8wKR_blog.html?wprss=rss_maryland

[gingerales]

I found it

http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120217/NEWS01/120217039/Maryland-gay-marriage-roll-call-votes

this one has by county rather than by district.

As expected, 8 PG dems voted against.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Regarding legislatures voting for same-sex marriage.............

California’s legislature passed a same-sex marriage bill in 2005, but it was vetoed by Governor Arnold S.

New Jersey’s marriage bill was just vetoed by Governor Christie.

Connecticut passed their gay marriage law after the Connecticut Supreme Court mandated marriage status for same-sex couples. Connecticut already had a civil unions law. The legislature changed that status after being prodded by the court ruling.

All of these places are liberal places.

What’s lost in all this gay marriage celebrating going on by liberals is that 31 states have amended their constitutions to define marriage. Another 2 states are voting on it this year. None of these states will allow same-sex marriage anytime soon, without a U.S. Supreme Court order to do so.

So it appears that same-sex marriage is taking root is some places, but most of the country will not give legal recognition anytime soon.

[Clint N. Suhks]

If it passes we’re talking about moving.

[Catholic Iowan]

Being from Iowa, I know all about the courts legislating this from the bench. Sadly, I’d give it 5 years, if that, before we see it in all 50 states. God help us!