Maryland Lt. Governor Brown: Vote on gay marriage close but majority support bill; will pass by April [video]
”I think this is a real historic moment for Maryland and an important moment for the country. Maryland is poised to be the sixth state to approve marriage and to extend marriage equality to same-gender couples.
”It’s close, but a mjority of Marylanders do support marriage equality. In the legislature, I think [there] is a good change that its going to pass. The composition of the state Senate — they picked up two Democrats. A majority of the members on the committee that heard the bill yesterday are sponsors of the bill….
”In the House which has been traditionally a more progressive body on social issues, I think the House is definitely ready to pass this bill….
”You know, what I say is that we ought to be finding ways to strengthen families and when two individuals regardless of their gender — whether it’s a same-gender or opposite-gender union, when they want to come together in the union of marriage, and raise children, and to care for those children, love those children, give those children everything they have — we ought to be supporting that….
”It will probably come at the end of the legislative session in April. It’s not an emergency piece of legislation…. I think, next week, it will pass the committee. It’ll probably pass the Senate chamber later in February, maybe early March….. Like you mentioned, there’s fierce debate around the issue. It’ll make it to pass the legislature by adjournment in early April.”
Anthony Brown, the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland speaking with MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts. The state Senate held hearings on Tuesday where some 150 people signed up to testify, and hundreds packed the chamber to show their support for or disapproval of this monumental gay marriage bill. The bill reportedly contains language to protect the rights of religious institutions.
Governor Martin O’Malley said in September during his election campaign that he preferred “civil unions” but did say that “should the legislature find a compromise in another way,” he would sign that bill. The bill is known as Senate Bill 116, “The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act.“
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