Forty-nine lawmakers have signed on to bills allowing gay marriage in Maryland.
Sponsors of the bills introduced in the House and Senate on Friday said they have seen more support for the idea than ever before.
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The bills would remove gender definitions in state marriage law. They would also include the caveat that religious leaders would not be required to perform or recognize the unions.
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"Why shouldn't I and other gay Marylanders be afforded the same rights as everyone else?" said Delegate Ann Kaiser.
It's interesting. The House has a bill that would allow gays to marry in Maryland, whereas the Senate has a bill that would amend the constitution to prevent them from marrying. The House Bill ("Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act") has 40 sponsors (out of 141 Delegates), and the Senate Bill ("Maryland's Marriage Protection Act") has 8 sponsors (out of 47 Senators). I have no idea how this will play out, but it's thrilling to see them trying.
Contrasted with, say, Iowa.
Petitions with over 6,000 signatures were delivered to the Iowa legislature Thursday demanding lawmaker impeach a judge who last year struck down a state law limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples.
Social conservative Bill Salier and his organization, Everyday America, say that Polk County Judge Robert Hanson violated the state constitution in his ruling.
Yeah! How dare that judge apply the constitution equitably to gay people! That's a total violation of the constitution--don't they teach about the "no fags" exception in law school anymore?
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