Just hours after the measure landed on his desk, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Friday vetoed a bill legalizing gay marriage. Christie, a Republican, wrote in his veto message that he favors a statewide voter referendum on the issue. Continue Reading “Today, I am adhering to what I’ve said since this bill was first [...]
TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Chris Christie has followed through on his promise to reject a bill allowing same-sex marriage in New Jersey by quickly vetoing the measure Friday and renewing his call for a ballot question to decide the issue. The veto came a day after the state Assembly passed the bill. The state Senate [...]
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie has followed through on his promise to reject a bill allowing same-sex marriage in New Jersey by quickly vetoing the measure Friday and renewing his call for a ballot question to decide the issue. The veto came a day after the state Assembly passed the bill. The state [...]
TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Assembly on Thursday passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriages, setting the stage for an expected veto by Gov. Chris Christie. The 42-33 vote sends the bill to Christie, who won’t take immediate action. The Republican governor who opposes gay marriage had promised “very swift action” if the bill passed [...]
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Members of the House of Delegates will begin debating a bill to legalize gay marriage Thursday morning. Delegates are expected to consider amendments to the bill Thursday with a final vote possible this week. Delegate Kathleen Dumais, a Montgomery County Democrat, said she expects lawmakers will offer amendments that create additional [...]
TRENTON, NJ (CBSNewYork/AP) – New Jersey lawmakers gave their blessing to legalizing gay marriage for the first time Monday as the state Senate passed a bill that would allow nuptials for same-sex couples, despite Gov. Chris Christie‘s insistence that he will veto such legislation. The Senate’s 24-16 vote sends the bill to the Assembly, which [...]
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire handed gay rights advocates a major victory Monday, signing into law a measure that legalizes same-sex marriage in Washington state, making it the seventh in the nation to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed. Gregoire signed the bill surrounded by gay rights supporters. “I’m proud our same-sex couples [...]
By Dean Pagani on February 13, 2012 Gay Marriage - Washington Governor Chris Gregoire(D) will sign into law a bill legalizing gay marriage just before noon today at the state Capitol. The measure received final legislative approval last week and comes at a time of fast moving developments in the nationwide effort to make the rights [...]
By Dean Pagani on February 13, 2012 Gay Marriage - Washington Governor Chris Gregoire(D) will sign into law a bill legalizing gay marriage just before noon today at the state Capitol. The measure received final legislative approval last week and comes at a time of fast moving developments in the nationwide effort to make the rights [...]
In a thoughtful recent post, co-blogger Dale Carpenter takes issue with my argument that bans on same-sex marriage are best attacked on the grounds that they are unconstitutional sex discrimination, and parts of my post suggesting that a minimalist strategy in the gay marriage litigation is not likely to work. Dale is one of the [...]
(AP) OLYMPIA, Wash. Washington state lawmakers voted to approve gay marriage Wednesday, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh in the nation to allow same-sex couples to wed. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the [...]
TRENTON, NJ (AP / CBSNewYork) – A Republican lawmaker said Thursday he has submitted a proposal for a ballot question that would ask New Jersey voters to approve gay marriage in November. WCBS 880′s Levon Putney On The Story Meanwhile, Gov. Chris Christie met with a gay lawmaker with whom he exchanged barbs over putting [...]
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state lawmakers voted to approve gay marriage Wednesday, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh in the nation to allow same-sex couples to wed. The action comes a day after a federal appeals court declared California’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the [...]
By Nicole Neroulias SEATTLE |Wed Feb 8, 2012 9:22am EST SEATTLE (Reuters) – The Washington state House of Representatives was expected to endorse gay marriage on Wednesday in a vote that would move the state another step closer to becoming the seventh to recognize same-sex nuptials. Floor debate was scheduled to begin in the afternoon, [...]
[Ed. Note: The bill is expected to go to the House next week, where it will easily pass. Washington passed the Defense of Marriage act in 1998 and installed civil unions, with full equality to marriage benefits. The amendments added to protect religious witness for those opposed to gay marriage do not apply to marriage [...]
WA Senate approves bill to legalize gay marriage Published 8:58am Thursday, February 2, 2012 OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington state Senate passed a bill Wednesday night that would legalize same-sex marriage, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed. The measure now heads to the [...]
Here are events/developments on the long path that has put Washington on the verge of legalizing same-sex marriage: – 1976: The Dorian Group, a lunch gathering for Seattle’s gay and lesbian business folk, publicizes its existence at a lunch featuring Republican U.S. Rep. Joel Pritchard. First talk of gay civil rights bill for Washington State. [...]
The House Judiciary Committee approved its gay marriage bill on a party line vote, with seven Democrats voting for it, and six Republicans voting in opposition. Three Republican amendments were rejected, including one that would have added private businesses and individuals, such as bakers and photographers, to the religious exemption in the measure that doesn’t [...]
“Laws matter, but words also matter, and if compassion and understanding and justice are what we want, then we must choose laws and we must choose words of compassion, understanding and of justice,” O’Malley said. First Lady Katie O’Malley, while giving a welcoming speech at the conference on Thursday night, said “there were some cowards [...]
This article about the political work that led to the passage of the bill legalizing gay marriage in NY is a brilliant example of what school reformers must do: Gay rights advocates from Wall Street to Hollywood poured donations into the coffers of four little-known Republican state senators after the lawmakers provided the decisive votes [...]
After Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley introduced same-sex “marriage” legislation with so-called “religious liberty protection,” along with plans to change minds of legislators who defeated similar legislation last year, the first lady apologized for calling opposition legislators “cowards.” Meanwhile, liberal “christians” are lining up to support the Gay Agenda legislation. For background, read ‘Gay Marriage’ Bill [...]
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (CBSDC/AP) — Moving swiftly to stem potential damage to same-sex marriage legislation in Maryland, first lady Katie O’Malley said Friday she regretted her choice of words at a national conference when she said gay marriage legislation in the state failed last year because “there were some cowards that prevented it from passing.” Her [...]
OLYMPIA — For Senate Democrats, the last big decision left on gay-marriage legislation is when to take a floor vote. The bill legalizing same-sex marriage cleared the Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee on Thursday with a 4-3 party-line vote after Democrats beat back several attempts to amend the bill. Supporters say they [...]
Jeff Fusco, Getty Images A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the Garden State has been approved by the State Senate Judiciary panel setting the stage for a vote in the full Upper House next month. Yesterday’s committee hearing at the State House is Trenton was long and often emotional. State Senate President Steve Sweeney [...]
Flickr User Lost Albatross Any doubts that the Democrat-controlled legislature would make good on a promise to fast-track a bill to legalize gay marriage in New Jersey can now be put to rest. Tomorrow, the State Senate Judiciary Committee will consider a marriage equality in what is expected to be a long and loud hearing. [...]
Wow. That’s one heck of a turnaround from 2005 when Joe and I led the charge against Microsoft for saying at the time that it would no longer take a stand on gay rights legislation, after being beaten up by a religious right preacher. Joe and I won that battle. And we’re seeing the fruits [...]
VIDEO: Demonstration against pastor who defends death-penalty-for-gays dogma hosted on campus of University of Nebraska, Omaha, week after week. MSNBC’s Ed Schultz called Rev. Kayser’s views “jaw-dropping” Michigan GOP state senator Tom McMillin, sponsor of two anti-gay Michigan bills, is shown here repeatedly refusing to answer constituent questions about his ties to Koch Bros.-funded ALEC, [...]
A TIME FOR US AND MARRIAGE EQUALITY! “Today, you would think that because I am an African-American, that I would have awakened with a new zest for living, a belief that all things are possible and a renewed hope in America, the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. But instead, I felt [...]
OLYMPIA — Only two votes in the state Senate stand in the way of legalizing gay marriage in Washington, but approval is anything but sure. “I spent 11 years trying to find one vote for the civil-rights bill,” said state Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, referring to the landmark gay-rights legislation narrowly approved by the Senate [...]
Washington state eyes getting gay marriage legislation approved By admin on January 14, 2012 — Comments Off OLYMPIA, Wash. — Only two votes in the state Senate stand in the way of legalizing gay marriage in Washington, but approval is anything but sure. “I spent 11 years trying to find one vote for the civil-rights [...]
Gay-marriage backers still short by a couple votes in state Senate By admin on January 14, 2012 — Comments Off OLYMPIA — Only two votes in the state Senate stand in the way of legalizing gay marriage in Washington, but approval is anything but sure. “I spent 11 years trying to find one vote for [...]
Jemel Countess, Getty Images Townsquare Media News first reported that legalizing gay marriage in New Jersey is a top priority and it will be put on the fast-track in 2012. Leading Democratic lawmakers made it official with a press conference earlier this week. A member of the Garden State’s congressional delegation is also tackling the [...]
WASHINGTON (AP) — The D.C. Council is considering legislation that would make it easier for gay and lesbian couples who marry in the nation’s capital to get divorced. The bill would let gay couples who married in Washington get divorced even if they no longer live in the district, provided they live somewhere that would [...]
Tim Eyman says he agnostic on this year’s gay marriage legislation. “Gawwwd no!” he said when asked if he would run a referendum on gay marriage if the legislature passes a marriage equality bill this session. Moreover, when we asked Eyman—who’s fond of saying “Let the Voters Decide”—if gay marriage should be put up for [...]
By Rachel La Corte The Associated Press OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire said today she wants Washington to become the seventh state in the nation to make gay marriage legal. She said at a news conference tht she’ll introduce legislation that, if passed, would allow same-sex marriage in the state. The Democrat had previously supported [...]
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – Democrats in the New Jersey Legislature will reintroduce a gay marriage bill this week and have vowed to make same-sex unions a top priority two years after similar legislation was voted down. Four people with direct knowledge of the draft bill told The Associated Press that Democrats’ priority for the new [...]
SEATTLE–Washington governor Chris Gregoire announced her support for gay marriage legislation on Wednesday, potentially putting the state on track to become the nation’s seventh to fully recognize same-sex unions. Democrat Gregoire, in the final year of her second term, is backing legislation to be introduced before the Washington state legislature, which reconvenes next week. “It [...]
Story Published: Jan 4, 2012 at 11:26 AM PST Gov. Chris Gregoire speaks at a news conference where she said that she wants Washington to become the seventh state in the nation to make gay marriage legal, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, in Olympia, Wash. Gregoire said she’ll introduce legislation that, if passed, would allow same-sex [...]
Story Published: Jan 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM PST Story Updated: Jan 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM PST Gov. Chris Gregoire OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Gov. Chris Gregoire said Wednesday she wants Washington to become the seventh state in the nation to make gay marriage legal. She said at a news conference she’ll introduce legislation [...]
Story Published: Jan 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM PST Story Updated: Jan 4, 2012 at 12:07 PM PST Gov. Chris Gregoire OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Gov. Chris Gregoire said Wednesday she wants Washington to become the seventh state in the nation to make gay marriage legal. She said at a news conference she’ll introduce legislation [...]
Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the [...]
One of the big, unanswered questions of the new session of the New Hampshire Legislature: Will the Republicans have enough votes to override Gov. John Lynch’s promised veto of any attempt to repeal the state’s gay marriage law? For many legislators, 2012 will be the first time they will have voted on this issue. This [...]