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Illinois House makes way for marriage equality

Sidney — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 12:00:56 +0000

(Photo via ProgessIllinois)

The Illinois House cleared the last major hurdle for enacting marriage equality in the state on Tuesday by approving a same-sex marriage bill, putting the state on track to become the 15th in the country with marriage equality. House lawmakers approved the bill following two-and-a-half hours of debate during a veto session of the legislature by a 61-54 vote. On the House floor, numerous lawmakers spoke out in favor of legislation, including State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a lesbian. Cassidy said is personally important to her because it would send a message to her family and other families like her in the state that “it does get better.”

House approval of the bill virtually assures it becomes law because passage in that chamber was the most challenging hurdle for the legislation. Advocates have expressed confidence that the amended legislation will pass in the Senate, where similar legislation had already passed before. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has been a strong champion of the bill and is expected to sign it.

Minneapolis to Chicago: We’re here for your queers

Sidney — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 18:00:29 +0000

(Photo: Stacy Bengs / AP)

BY ADAM L BRINKLOW
dot429

Minneapolis’ Mayor R.T. Rybak took a trip to Chicago to steal all their gays. Rybak’s office has cooked up a new ad campaign, “I Want to Marry You in Minneapolis,” encouraging Illinois residents to make the short trip across the state border to get hitched. This year, Minnesota became the thirteenth US state to legalize same-sex marriage, and Mayor Rybak presided over the wedding of Minneapolis police chief Janeé Harteau just a few weeks ago. Rather than call a press conference in his own town, Rybak bounced over to Chicago to unveil the campaign in Rahm Emanuel’s own backyard.

“Chicago is my kind of town, but it’s a second city in human rights,” Rybak told reporters. “I hope the day comes [when] all Illinoisans can marry—but until that day comes, I’m here to steal your business.” Ouch. A March study by UCLA’s Williams Institute estimated that Illinois’ economy could pick up an extra $100 million (which would yield about $8.5 million in tax revenues for the cash-strapped state) if same-sex marriage became the law of the land.

Illinois Senator calls marriage equality ‘discrimination’

Sidney — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:00:23 +0000

Illinois State Senator Kyle McCarter

BY HUFFINGTON POST GAY VOICES

The Illinois Senate’s historic Thursday passage of a bill that would bring marriage equality to the land of Lincoln made for a special reason to celebrate on Valentine’s Day for many but one Republican state lawmaker, State Sen. Kyle McCarter, was outraged by the actions of his peers.

He took to Facebook Thursday evening to decry the state Senate’s 34-21 vote affirming the marriage bill as “damage done to the state.”To redefine marriage is discriminatory towards those who hold the sincerely held religious belief that it is a sacred institution between a man & a woman,” McCarter wrote Thursday.

Coalition for marriage equality formed in Illinois

candy — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 10:06:33 +0000

BY THE SEATTLE LESBIAN

In the wake of the announcement by key legislators that they will seek passage of an Illinois marriage equality bill in January 2013, a broad range of organizations have joined to form a new coalition called Illinois Unites for Marriage, organizers said Thursday. The coalition will be wholly focused on securing legislation giving same-sex couples the freedom to marry in early 2013.

Illinois Unites brings together a diverse group of individuals and organizations from across Illinois, including business groups, labor, faith organizations, Republicans, Democrats, and grassroots supporters. The coalition is being organized by Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois.