Gay marriage could get a hearing in 2010 session
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 12:12 pm
- 11 Comments
A gay couple is married in Iowa. Photo: Bobster855, Flickr
It’s unlikely same-sex marriage will become law in Minnesota this year — Gov. Tim Pawlenty will undoubtedly veto it and skittish DFLers may vote against it in an election year — but the bill’s chief author in the Senate says it could get a hearing and possibly make it out of committee.
For three years, Sen. John Marty has been the chief sponsor of the Marriage and Family Protection Act, a bill that would equalize marriage laws to include same-sex couples. The bill was drafted by Doug Benson, a citizen who wants to marry his partner of more than twenty years. On his own time and his own dime, Benson has lobbied to get the support of 28 legislators.
What the bill needs most is a hearing and a committee vote. The bill’s chief sponsor in the House, Rep. Phyllis Kahn, told the Minnesota Independent a hearing is possible, but getting it out of committee isn’t likely.
But on the Senate side, the chances are better.
“I agree that it is unlikely that the bill is going to pass this year, but think we would have the votes to pass it out of committee in the Senate if we get a hearing,” Marty told the Minnesota Independent.
“I’d like to have a hearing and a vote — assuming we have the votes– to begin moving the bill through the process,” he said. “Attitudes are rapidly changing, and by having a thoughtful discussion in committee, I think we can assist in that effort.”
Benson is much more optimistic about the bill’s chances.
“No one will actually know how the bill will do until a vote is taken… I think our attitude should always be, ‘This bill CAN pass,’ because that’s the truth.”
He added that Republicans continue to push for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, even though such a measure has no chance of passing a DFL-dominated Legislature. On the other side of the issue, “that’s the kind of dedication we need” in the marriage equality movement, he said.
“We can sustain a negative vote and come back, but we cannot sustain a failure to act,” he said. “We are drowning in inertia at the Capitol over this and the thousands of gay and lesbian families across the state, including my own, are suffering because of it.”
To Sen. Marty Benson added, “I know you agree that we can’t afford to waste another session waiting for someone else to make the first move. The pendulum is swinging and time is slipping away from us.”
As the legislative session starts and the campaign season kick into high gear, every DFL candidate for governor has come out in support of marriage equality. Whether that support will translate into votes in committees and pressure from leadership to move the bill forward remains to be seen.
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter11 Comments
Comment posted January 28, 2010 @ 8:42 am
I really hope this gets taken care of soon and we can move on. It seems SO crazy to me that this is still even an issue!
Comment posted January 28, 2010 @ 9:50 am
Hmmm. The ultimate blockage to marriage equity is our Governor. The one legislator willing to take leadership on the issue is a Gubernatorial candidate. Conclusion: we could have a quick answer here — elect John Marty Governor!
Joel Clemmer
Comment posted January 28, 2010 @ 12:09 pm
Dano- I don’t think extending civil rights to people who deserve them is smaller than any fish.
Comment posted January 28, 2010 @ 12:40 pm
What do they make up something like 5% of the population. Ok, then give them 5% of the time alloted our gov. for debate at most. As far as “deserving” rights, I disagree, but you as well as myself are entitled to differ there.
Comment posted January 29, 2010 @ 1:42 pm
Since you appear to be mindys expert on all things gay, I wondering why we haven’t seen anything about Minnesota’s health department’s report that new HIV has increased rose 13 percent in 2009. It was the biggest increase in 17 years and now effects children as young as 13.
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/82694812.html?page=3&c=y
Pretty disgusting, no?
Comment posted January 31, 2010 @ 10:56 am
This is a civil rights issue and will not go away.
HIV may be spread by needles more than promiscuity, generally speaking, promiscuity decreases among the married!
Give equal rights to all who want to marry!
Comment posted January 31, 2010 @ 5:17 pm
HIV might be spread by needles more than anal sex, but it’s not.
Almost all new cases are among fans of male on male sodomy and thems the facts. We have determined that cigarettes cause cancer; to fight it we have enacted laws that restrict peoples right to smoke. HIV is just as serious a public health threat, it’s time we start treating it as such.
Comment posted January 31, 2010 @ 5:19 pm
A good place to start might be to track down the perverts that infected these 13-17 year old kids and get them locked up before they infect any more children.
Comment posted March 2, 2010 @ 5:43 pm
Actually the leading outbreaks of HIV or AIDs is women and Heterosexually men. Allowing people of any race or sex to marry is not a right of the government but the right of human beings.GLBT humans take nothing from a str8 couple because these are rights given to them by the Government.If the only reason to have these rights to “marry” is to reproduce then the married people that don’t or can’t have children should be stripped of these government laws(and all privileges that go with it) as they are not fulfilling their promise to reproduce.There are so many women that are having babies without marriage, should their rights to tax relief for child care or tax break for earned income not be provided to them? There is no difference in whether they are a str8 couple or GLBT couple. It all comes down to sex and who’s business is it anyways what anyone does in their bedroom?
I reproduced and so far one of my son’s have reproduced to continue the “line” so I have done what I was suppose to ,now let me live my life and love or marry who I want.
Comment posted August 23, 2010 @ 11:50 pm
It’s pretty ridiculous to suggest that equal marriage could contribute to AIDS.
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