Wash. Has Enough Votes To Legalize Gay Marriage

[maddezmom]

OLYMPIA, Wash. January 23, 2012, 03:16 pm ET

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington's Legislature has enough votes to legalize gay marriage with a statement from Democratic Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen Monday who said she will support the measure, becoming the 25th vote needed to pass the bill out of the Senate. The House already has enough support, and Gov. Chris Gregoire has endorsed the plan.

Washington would become the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriages, following New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Washington state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007, and an "everything but marriage" law since 2009.

Haugen's announcement came has hundreds of people filled the capitol to advocate for and against gay marriage. State senators began considering the bill during a morning committee hearing.

more: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=145656104

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Is this vote happening today?

Just scanned the article and it didn't seem to indicate the actual timing of the floor vote.

[maddezmom]

4. not sure when the vote is scheduled, but the house and senate are holding public hearings today.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. I don't believe it's passed the house yet

Not that it won't, it will. They have plenty of votes there. They were falling one short in the Senate though and now that's been pledged.

From what I understand so long as it passes this legislative session it will be enacted in June of this year.

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. The article was confusing at first

reading down, it was talking about needing the 25th Senate vote - but then I realized the 25th vote was an update to an original story.

I wonder who has Washington State in the "next state" pool?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. There's a chance it may end up going to the voters still.

I won't be surprised to see a referendum petition. If they get enough signatures then it goes to the voters. From the polling I've seen they'll lose, but I still won't be surprised. Which could mean this could possibly not be settled until November.

[pnwmom]

27. Chances are it will, which is why supporters are glad that this is a Presidential election year.

A large turn-out increases the possibility that more young people will be voting, meaning this will have a greater chance of passage.

I think that the civil union law we already have has taken a lot of wind out of the Rethugs sails. The civil union law didn't cause the earth to tilt on its axis, and more people are realizing that neither will marriage equality.

[customerserviceguy]

39. When it comes to marriage equality

or at least steps in that direction, the citizens of Washington State have always done the right thing. If this decision comes down to them, I am confident that the good people of the state I moved from nearly five years ago will again affirm the equality of all of their fellow citizens.

Too bad the legislature might be too chickenshit to do the right thing from the get-go, but the people of Washington will lead the way to marriage equality on the West coast.

[Denninmi]

2. Excellent!

To me, marriage equality has an air of inevitability about it. Every state that passes it only increases the odds that, if and when it comes to the Supreme Court to be ruled on on the national level, it will be upheld. I can't see them possibly denying the legitimacy of so many state laws and so many marriages.

Way to go, Washington State! I'm proud of you!!!

[gratuitous]

3. How peculiar

Before Gov. Gregoire came out with her forceful endorsement, there wasn't anywhere near enough support in the Washington legislature to pass a same-sex marriage bill. It's almost as if the Executive can have some influence on the Legislative if it shows some public leadership. But I have been lectured many times in the past three years that that is simply unpossible.

I wonder how this salutary development could have happened???

[xchrom]

6. Funny that. Nt

[suffragette]

10. Good point

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. heheheh

[NorthCarolina]

23. ...

[msongs]

24. yeah, lead and perhaps others will follow. Not a white housian concept lol nt

[pnwmom]

29. By getting the generals on-board Obama got DADT repealed in a way that

will be difficult for future Presidents to undo.

And now his Justice Dept. is refusing to support DOMA. I think Obama's approach has been effective. He's not dealing with WA state's more liberal legislature; he's dealing with the U.S. Congress. The percent of Teabaggers there is much higher.

[FreeState]

35. Imagine the movement we would have and the example to our youth he would set by coming out vocally

for marriage equality. DADT repeal was great. Now its time to do the same with DOMA.

[pnwmom]

28. That's not true. We've had enough support in the House for quite some time.

It was the Senate where we were short a few votes.

There is little comparison between the Federal government and WA state's.

[gratuitous]

30. Except . . .

That the votes weren't there, then the governor made a forceful statement, and the votes were there. But I'm sure the two events are totally unrelated, and there's no way a parallel could be drawn (even if the two events were related somehow) on the national level.

It's just a mystery, I guess, how those Washington state senators all decided to change their minds or decided to give some oomph to a previously moribund bill.

[pnwmom]

31. The vote were on the fence, and yes she did help. But she would have had less success

with the the Federal government, where the lines are drawn much more firmly.

[Muskypundit]

8. An amazing parting gift from Gov. Gregoire

I thank her for many years of successful public service

[Bigmack]

13. YES!!!

She makes me proud to be a "Washingtonian!" WAY TO GO GIRL! Or WOMAN, as the case may be! Ms Bigmack

[dbackjon]

9. Great news!!

[suffragette]

11. K&R

[Missy Vixen]

14. So, I have a question.

Who's inviting me to their wedding? I'll bring a gift. I'm also hoping for an opportunity to buy a bouquet of flowers for a couple waiting in line for a marriage license.

To say I am thrilled by this development is an understatement. I am very proud of Governor Gregoire for using the bully pulpit of her office to make an indelible statement about what her faith means - the imperative to offer civil rights to other consenting adults.

[uppityperson]

15. that is great. I am so looking forward to the time when this isn't even an issue.

[Guy Montag]

17. I am hopeful this passes.

We briefly had marriage for all in Oregon, and with Washington State passing it, it will make if far easier to get the roadblocks out of the way and re-institute marriage for all here in the southern part of the great pacific Northwest.

[Zorra]

18. Thanks! Woot! Wonderful news! nt

[sakabatou]

19. Equality is coming to fruition, albeit slowly.

[gopiscrap]

20. I know this is a dumb question

I love that this is passing..I led a peace and justice organization for the Uted Methodist Chucrch in Tacoma....we are a reconciling copngregation...how do you kick and rec an article on here?

[a2liberal]

44. my understanding

kick is just posting a reply and rec is clicking the "DU Rec" button at the bottom of the OP

[gopiscrap]

45. Thanks!

[a2liberal]

47. You're welcome I hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong (n/t)

[Norrin Radd]

21. kr

[AtheistCrusader]

22. Hell yes! Let's do this!

Way overdue.

[nolabear]

25. I'm so happy for all my friends here in WA who've been waiting.

It's gonna be a heckuva summer. I've been singing "Chapel of Love" all day.

[William769]

26. Oy how did I miss this thread?

Recommended.

[azurnoir]

32. good for Washington State

albeit when i first read the headline I thought the 'other' Washington

[Odin2005]

33. K&R

[bigwillq]

34. K and R

[eyeofnewt]

36. K & R

WTG WA!

[47of74]

37. Awesome!

AWESOME!

And to any bleepsticks who don't like that I say that if gay marriage offends them so much then they are free not to have one.

[Vidar]

38. Congratulations to Washington.

[ihavenobias]

40. K & R n/t

[SoapBox]

41. K & R!

[i_sometimes]

42. Right on! eom

[closeupready]

43. Good. About damn time.

[craigmatic]

46. Good eventually we'll have to have a supreme court case to decide this issue once and for all

because the red states won't recognize these unions. If only all the blue states wouls pass gay marriage laws.