It appears that my fine home state of Illinois has finally got off their duffs and will join the marriage equality legalization club before the end of May with a vote in the House... provided it gets 60+ green lights (yes votes).
IL SB10 (Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act) has already passed the Senate on Valentine's Day by a score of 34-21-2-2. It passed the House Committee on February 26th by a 6-5 vote.
The Windy City Times reports that State Rep. Greg Harris will call IL SB10 for a vote in the full House before May 31st.
The chief sponsor of Illinois' equal marriage bill says he is "absolutely" ready to call for a House vote on the bill within in the next ten days.
Rep. Greg Harris told Windy City Times May 21 that the "Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act," which would bring equal marriage to the state, will pass by the end of session.
"When I put it up on the board, it's going to go up to win," Harris said, adding that he would "absolutely" call for a vote on the measure before spring session ends May 31.
Assuming it passes, it will be the 13th US State to pass same-sex marriage after Gov. Quinn (D) signs it into law. California, depending on either a favorable SCOTUS ruling on Prop 8 (most likely), legislation, and/or voter initiative, will likely be the 14th.
On the anti-IL SB10 side of the debate, I expect the far-right hate group Illinois Fascist Family Institute, African American Clergy Coalition, and their allies to ramp up their already vile hate even further.
Former President Bill Clinton (D), the guy whose reign put the shameful DADT and DOMA laws into effect in the 1990s, has come out in favor of IL SB10.
STLToday.com:
Former President Bill Clinton is weighing in on Illinois' same-sex marriage debate, calling on lawmakers to pass it and even invoking the state's favorite son in the argument.
“Since the days of Abraham Lincoln, Illinois has stood for the proposition that all citizens should be treated equally under the law,” Clinton says in the statement, which has been publicized through Capitol Fax and other Illinois news and Internet outlets.
Clinton has more recently said he regrets signing the bill.
Thankfully, the Big Dog has come around and admitted that signing DOMA was a bad mistake, as was DADT.
Also to note, former State Senator, ex-US Senator, and current President Barack Obama (D) has endorsed the bill and likely would've voted yes on the bill if he were still in the Illinois Senate.
Politico:
President Obama would support Illinois's same-sex marriage bill if he were still serving in the legislature there, the White House said Tuesday.
"Were the president still in the Illinois State Legislature, he would support this measure that would treat all Illinois couples equally," spokesman Shin Inouye said in response to a question from POLITICO. Obama's support for the bill comes after former President Bill Clinton endorsed it earlier Tuesday.
The President has
previously urged legislators in Illinois to pass such a bill since even before this current term began.