Tag: Illinois

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Illinois: Senate passes marriage equality bill 34-21

Yay! Passed the state Senate 34-21.

The bill was approved Thursday afternoon following a vigorous debate between lawmakers who both supported and opposed the measure. Two lawmakers voted present.

Only one Republican — state Sen. Jason Barickman, of Champaign, joined a supermajority of Democrats in voting yes.

If the bill is also approved by the state House of Representatives, Illinois will join Washington, D.C. and nine other U.S. marriage equality states. The state has had civil unions available for same-sex couples since June 2011.

From Bloomberg:

“The greatest commandment Jesus left is, ‘Love one another,’” Democratic Senator Martin Sandoval of Chicago said during debate on the bill. “Why is it so wrong today to be able to share licensure with your life partner? You do. Why can’t everyone else?”

Democratic Senator Kwame Raoul, who filled Barack Obama’s seat on Chicago’s South Side after the 2008 presidential election, said fears of destroying society’s pillars are unfounded. He said allowing gay marriage is consistent with the nation’s removal of discriminatory laws.

“Let’s knock down this wall because it’s the right thing to do,” Raoul said from the Senate floor. “The sky is not falling, Chicken Little.”

(via Huffington Post)

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Illinois: Marriage equality vote to happen in state Senate on Valentine’s Day

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has promised full passage of marriage equality at the recent Equality Illinois gala this weekend.

This Valentine’s Day, the Illinois Senate will vote on the marriage equality bill, as promised by its president.

The overwhelming mood at the gala was one of celebration — for Equality Illinois, but also for the successful passing of the gay marriage bill in the Senate Executive Committee, and its upcoming vote in the state Senate Feb. 14.

Former state Sen. Carol Ronen was confident that the bill would go before, and pass, in both houses of the legislature. “It looks very good for passing. I think everything you hear is very optimistic,” she told the Windy City Times.

Ronen said that organizations likes Equality Illinois were essential in the process. “Everybody has been at the table. Everything has been a great group effort,” she said.

The Windy City Times spoke with Rep. Deborah Mell about the upcoming bill, which will go up for a vote in the Senate before going before the house. In 2004, Mell was arrested at a marriage equality protest.”I didn’t even think I was going to be in politics then. To be voting on the bill is really exciting,” she said.

Gov. Quinn: “This week will be a historic week in Illinois. This year we’re going to make and pass a law called Marriage Equality.”

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Freedom To Marry announces $2 million in support for marriage equality in 6 states

According to Buzzfeed, Freedom to Marry has just announced they plan to spend $2 million in 2013 to advance marriage equality efforts around the country:

According to a statement provided to BuzzFeed, Freedom to Marry is starting the 2013 effort — called the Win More States Fund — by investing $800,000 in the six states where marriage bills are being debated: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

“Building on our 4 for 4 ballot victories in November, Freedom to Marry is calling on supporters to join us in continuing the momentum and winning still more states in 2013.

“With the clock ticking on the Supreme Court’s review of marriage cases, we want to make as much progress as we can – and with battles already underway now in state capitals, we all need to put our money where our momentum is,” Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry, said in a statement.

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Illinois: Gov. Quinn underscores support for marriage equality in State of the State address

In his State Of The State address to the Illinois legislature, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn reiterated his support for marriage equality:

“Marriage equality is coming to Illinois. Now, it’s time to take the next step in achieving full equality.  Let’s pass this bill for marriage equality and let’s do it now.  Our Illinois is not a land of discrimination.”

The marriage equality bill is currently scheduled for a vote in the state Senate on Valentine’s Day.  

The bill has the backing of both state legislative houses plus the state GOP chairman Pat Brady, who has become the target of resignation demands from anti-gay groups.

(via JMG)

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Illinois: Marriage equality easily passes in state Senate committee

An Illinois Senate committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would allow same-sex couples to marry in the state.

A 9-5 vote in the Illinois Senate Executive Committee moves the bill forward nearly a month after state Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and gay state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) reintroduced bills in their respective chambers that would extend marriage to gays and lesbians. That vote occurred  on Jan. 3, but time ran out in that legislative session to see the bill put to a full Senate vote.

President Obama, Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin and Illinois Republican Party Chair Pat Brady are among those who have voiced support for the measure.

Senate President John Cullerton has previously stated that he would like to schedule a vote on the bill in the full Senate on Valentine’s Day.

More at Washington Blade

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Could Valentine’s Day bring marriage equality to Illinois?

From the Huffington Post: Illinois Senate President John Cullerton is hoping to see legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in Illinois approved by lawmakers in time for the Feb. 14 holiday.

Cullerton told the Chicago Sun-Times he is hopeful the state Senate will approve the bill next week — and is confident they have the 30 votes of support needed to do so.

The bill would then need to advancing to the House of Representatives, which is considered to be more conservative. Gov. Pat Quinn has already vowed to sign the bill.

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Illinois: Business leaders and corporations show support for same-sex marriage

Dozens of Illinois business leaders and corporations are throwing their support behind a marriage equality bill expected to be addressed by the state legislature at the beginning of February, the Chicago Tribune reports:

In addition to Google, Orbitz Worldwide and Groupon, individual signers of the letter include Desiree Rogers, CEO of Johnson Publishing Co.; Lance Chody, CEO of Garrett Popcorn Shops; Fred Eychaner, chairman of the Newsweb Corp.; and Laura Ricketts, co-owner of the Chicago Cubs. Eychaner and Ricketts are openly gay executives who are helping fund the statewide push for same-sex marriage, the Tribune has reported.

The letter closes with this: “Illinois simply cannot afford to be less competitive than other states.”

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Illinois: Marriage equality bills headed to both chambers of state legislature

Today begins the new session for the Illinois legislature and marriage equality bills are set to be introduced in both chambers. Via press release from Equality Illinois:

On the first day of the new legislative session, sponsors Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and Representative Greg Harris (D-Chicago) say they will work to pass the legislation, known as the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, shortly after members of the 98th General Assembly are sworn in.

“Last week, the Senate Executive Committee made history by approving same-sex marriage and gave our efforts incredible momentum,” Senator Steans said. “With the full support of Senate President John Cullerton, I am confident legislators will grant all Illinois couples the freedom to marry this year.”

“We are one step closer to equality in the Land of Lincoln,” added Representative Harris. “The bills we filed today will treat all couples equally under the law. We are going full steam ahead on this.” Illinois Unites for Marriage — a coalition led by Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Illinois — is continuing its statewide campaign in support of the bill, marshaling support and urging allies to step up contacts with their legislators.

The language in the new bill is identical the one that passed in an Illinois Senate committee last week.

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Illinois: Marriage equality activists look to next legislative session as time runs out

Despite the fact that it passed the Senate Executive Committee late Thursday in an 8-5 vote, Illinois Senate Democrats say there is not enough time left in the lame duck session for the full Senate to address the marriage equality bill.

Via press release from Equality Illinois:

Today, the movement for marriage equality achieved a milestone victory, with the adoption of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act by the Senate Executive Committee. This was the first step of many. Today’s victory builds on all the work we have done, adds to the momentum that the supporters have created, and puts us in great position to advance the freedom to marry in the coming months. With just a handful of days remaining in the current lame duck session, time to move the bill through both chambers is not on our side. So we will act in the new General Assembly that convenes next week, on Wednesday, January 9.

“We have come so far. Just to be able to witness the historic public debate over the desire of all loving, committed couples to be able to marry in Illinois is a major accomplishment. And with the landmark action by the Senate Executive Committee in favor of the bill, for the first time ever an Illinois legislative body voted to extend the freedom to marry. Never before has the issue gone this far in the Illinois legislature,” said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, the state’s oldest and largest LGBT advocacy organization. “Our opponents should not believe they have turned the tide against the growing national and Illinois consensus favoring marriage equality. The clock simply ran out, and our legislative supporters ran out of time,” he said.

The above release closes by noting the expectation that “the new Illinois House and Senate are considered to be more supportive of LGBT issues.”

(via JMG)