Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin sworn in as 1st openly gay US Senator
Illinois: Same-sex marriage bill vote may happen today
According to Windy City Times, the vote for marriage equality in Illinois state senate may happen as soon as this morning:
Illinois Senators will no longer be voting on the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, a bill that LGBT leaders had been working for months to gain support on. Instead, the legalization of gay marriage had been added as a Senate amendment to HB4963, a bill that deals with automobile rentals and the Collateral Recovery Act, according to Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov.
The move comes after Senate Democrats failed to secure enough votes to waive a 24-hour rule on the posting of the bill Wednesday night. That could have delayed a vote on marriage a day or more.
The amendment will allow the Senate to vote on the bill as early as 11 a.m. this morning.
“Everything can change at a moment’s notice,” said Cherkasov. “It’s still absolutely crucial that people contact their lawmakers.”
UPDATE: Vote may not happen today as two supportive state senators have been called away due to family emergencies. The hope is the vote happens before Jan. 9th when new legislature comes in.
One Direction teases new video “Kiss You”
Full music video debuts February 7th.
Fox News continues to ridicule Sec. Hillary Clinton’s health issues
Imagine if anyone, anywhere said anything like this about a former First Lady or former US Senator.
There are terrifically talented people at Fox News. I know them personally. But this kind of stuff is sad. Fox News is just embarrassingly bad at hosting this kind of rhetoric.
Illinois: GOP Party Chairman Pat Brady supports same-sex marriage
Well, this is huge for Illinois and marriage equality!
According to DailyHerald.com, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady of St. Charles is calling GOP lawmakers asking them to support a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage, he said today.
Brady said he was making the calls as a citizen, outside of his official role with the Illinois Republican Party.
“I think it’s time for people to support this,” Brady said.
“More and more Americans understand that if two people want to make a lifelong commitment to each other, government should not stand in their way,” he said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “Giving gay and lesbian couples the freedom to get married honors the best conservative principles. It strengthens families and reinforces a key Republican value – that the law should treat all citizens equally.”
Lawmakers in Springfield could begin debating the issue at a hearing as early as tomorrow.
(via JMG)
Minnesota: Same-sex marriage bill to be introduced in “a month or two”
The Minnesota state senator who will take the lead in that chamber on a bill to legalize gay marriage says backers will wait at least a month or two into the upcoming legislative session before they start to push it hard.
Sen. Scott Dibble of Minneapolis says Wednesday that Democrats taking power at the Capitol next week plan to focus early in the session on what he called “kitchen-table issues” of improving the economy and creating jobs.
But he says gay marriage backers in the Legislature want a vote in 2013.
Dibble, who is gay, says he believes allowing same-sex couples to marry is a kitchen-table issue too.
(via CBS)
Same-sex couples getting married in Maine describe their spouses in one word
Last Friday, Sam Ferrigno of HooplaHa.com, traveled up to Portland to witness some of Maine’s first same-sex marriages. He approached 14 couples with sketch pads, asked them to write how long they’ve been together and to describe each other with one word.
Just one sample: Steven Jones (left) and Jamous Lizotte, two men who might go down in history as the first gay, wreath-crowned couple to get married in Maine.
Lots more joy from the happy day at HooplaHa.com
First elected out gay member of Pennsylvania legislature sworn in
Brian Sims made history on Tuesday when he took office as the first person elected to the Pennsylvania legislature as an out LGBT person. He joins Rep. Mike Fleck, who announced after his re-election that he was gay.
From Newsle.com:
Brian Sims, 34, ran unopposed in the November election after ousting longtime Rep. Babette Josephs in the Democratic primary in the Center City district.
“The tide has changed,” said Sims, a civil rights advocate who recently stepped down as board president of Equality Pennsylvania, the statewide lesbian and gay advocacy organization. “2012 will go down in history as when being anti-gay puts you in the minority.”
Noah St. John: “The Last Mile”
Great storytelling, great use of language. I love how and where young Noah takes us on this journey.
From the YouTube description:
After exploding onto the performance scene by grabbing the Youth Speaks Grand Slam Champion prize, watch as 15-year-old Noah St. John electrifies the Snap Judgment Stage with a stunning performance – winning this year’s “NPR Snap Judgment Performance of the Year.”
It’s only appropriate, because last year’s winner was Noah’s teacher and mentor, Jamie DeWolf.
This year, the student becomes the teacher.
Watch. Keep watching. It gets SOOO good. What talent.
Bravo Noah!
Marriage equality legislation coming to Rhode Island and Illinois
A marriage equality bill will be introduced in the Rhode Island legislature Thursday, the Providence Journal reports.
State representative Arthur Handy, the bill’s sponsor, said he will need Wednesday to recruit cosponsors, who will include openly gay House speaker Gordon Fox.
Rhode Island legislators have previously abandoned efforts to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples because of insufficient support. The state has had civil unions since 2011, and it recognizes out-of-state same-sex marriages. But it remains the only New England state without marriage equality.
Over in Illinois, a marriage equality bill may be considered as early as today, Windy City Times reports:
The state Senate will be in session Wednesday, and Sen. Heather Stearns is expected to introduce the bill in that chamber this week. “LGBT leaders say that a vote on a bill seeking gay marriage is likely to come sooner rather than later,” the Times reports. Stearns hopes to get the bill voted on quickly so it can then go to the state House, although a report in the Chicago Tribune says she and Rep. Greg Harris, the lead House sponsor, will go for a vote only if they feel assured of passage. Activists from around the state plan to gather tomorrow in Springfield, the capital.
Both chambers have until January 9 to pass the bill in the current legislative session. After that, a new legislature will be seated, meaning advocates will have to restart their lobbying efforts.
(source)