Less than a week after the Maryland House of Delegates narrowly passed a law giving gays and lesbians the same right to marry as straight citizens, the Maryland Senate
has followed suit.
The Maryland Senate voted 25-22 to give final approval Thursday evening to legislation legalizing same-sex marriages, sending the Civil Marriage Protection Act to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature.
The vote makes Maryland the eighth state to approve gay nuptials — and the fourth state legislature to do so in the past 12 months.
The approval in Annapolis caps years of failed attempts by gay rights advocates to gain equal access to marriage, and the hundreds of legal protections that accompany the union. The governor, a Democrat, plans to sign the bill "within a week," a spokeswoman said.
Last year O'Malley said he would sign, but no bill got to his desk. This year, he actively promoted it. While there has been much rejoicing from supporters, this won't be an end of the issue. Supporters say they expect there to be an effort to put a referendum on the ballot for the November election.