Although pundits had initially predicted a marriage-equality bill would easily sail through the Maryland House of Delegates this session, lawmakers in the state’s lower chamber last week sent the bill back to committee, where it won’t be revisited until next year.
By voice vote March 11, supporters of the Civil Marriage Protection Act withdrew the bill from the floor after it became clear there weren’t enough votes to advance it. Sponsors originally said they had the votes in the House, but several lawmakers dropped their support after intense lobbying from antigay groups.
“Though we are disappointed that we must continue to fight for marriage equality, today’s move was a strategic step that will allow us to fight and win in the future,” said Equality Maryland in a joint statement. “We celebrate that, for the first time, marriage-equality legislation made it through the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, the Senate, the House Judiciary Committee and was debated in the House of Delegates.”
The Senate passed the bill last month and Gov. Martin O’Malley pledged to sign it if it reached his desk.
The governor reaffirmed last week that it was his “firm belief that equality under the law means equality for everyone, and our laws should reflect that fundamental principle. It was my hope to sign a marriage-equality act consistent with these progressive reforms, while protecting religious freedom in our state. As one Maryland we must work together to respect the dignity of every individual. I remain committed to working with all Marylanders to ensure that rights are protected equally for everyone.”
Before the vote, legislators heard several hours of debate on the measure, including testimony from six of the seven openly LGBT House members, who provided a personal appeal to their fellow lawmakers.
Delegate Luke Clippinger said inequalities facing LGBTs have communicated to him that “somehow I am less than natural, I am less than human, I am less than … I am not less than.”
In the weeks leading up to House debate, however, antigay groups like National Organization for Marriage and the Family Research Council canvassed Maryland, focusing particularly on African-American and religious communities. The Maryland Catholic Conference also was active in the fight against marriage equality, urging parishioners throughout the largely Catholic state to lobby their lawmakers.
Prior to the death of the bill, opponents of marriage equality were already ramping up to begin a petition drive to put the issue to voters. Under Maryland law, bills that are passed can be posed to voter referendum if enough signatures are collected.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].