A committee of the Maryland Senate last week approved a bill that would extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.
The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Feb. 17 cast a 7-4 vote in favor of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act.
The measure was introduced to the full Senate Tuesday, and debate began the following day, with a final vote expected by the end of the week. Prospects for its passage look good as, following the committee vote, Sen. James Rosapepe announced he would vote for the bill, putting the final tally of on-the-record supporters at 24, the number needed to achieve passage. However, to avoid a filibuster, 29 senators will also be needed for a cloture vote.
Last week’s vote marks the first time in the legislation’s history that it has passed out of committee.
“It is time to provide equal rights under state law to all individuals, including same-sex couples, who seek a marriage license in Maryland,” said out Sen. Richard Madeleno in a statement last week. “No one can argue that the capacity and bond of love is any different between heterosexual couples and same-sex couples. It is time that the rights already enjoyed by many who can obtain a marriage license in Maryland are enjoyed by all regardless of gender and sexual orientation. We moved one step closer to full marriage equality today.”
Equality Maryland executive director Morgan Meneses-Sheets called the occasion a ”historic” one for “all loving and committed gay and lesbian couples throughout the Free State.”
“We know that momentum is swiftly moving for the same rights, responsibility and privileges to be extended to gay and lesbian couples through civil marriage,” she said. “Very soon our families will be provided with the same respect and protections as all other families.”
The measure is being spearheaded by Sen. Robert Garagiola and Delegate Kumar Barve, the majority leaders in their respective houses.
The bill is scheduled for a committee hearing Feb. 25 in the House, largely considered the more liberal of the two bodies.
If the legislation survives votes in the Senate and House, Gov. Martin O’Malley has said he would sign it.
While the outlook for the measure is positive, opponents are already gearing up to overturn a potential marriage-equality law next year. Maryland law allows measures approved by the state legislature to be posed to state voters in a referendum process.
Agencies such as National Organization for Marriage and Family Research Council indicated last week that, if the bill is approved, they would work to garner the more than 50,000 signatures needed to get the issue on the November 2012 ballot.
A third of the signatures would be due by June 1 of this year, and the rest the following month. If the signatures are validated, the law would be prevented from going into effect until the outcome of a 2012 referendum.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].