Illinois Legislature May Get Opposing Gay Marriage Bills

Springfield, IL — The Illinois legislature may get opposing bills on same-sex marriage this year — one a constitutional amendment to ban it, and another to legalize it.

Chicago Democrat Rep. Gregory Harris said he thinks Illinois is ready for gay marriage. However, the civil union bill he sponsored two years just barely passed through the Legislature.

Harris said that in a short amount of time, there has been a “dramatic shift” in public attitudes about gay marriage.

While gay marriage has been legalized by several state legislatures, until November 6 this voters had always rejected it.

Marriage referendums passed in Maryland, Washington, and Maine. Minnesota voters turned down an amendment that limited marriage to heterosexuals.

Randy Hanning, director of public policy for gay rights organization Equality Illinois, said, “It was a win in all four states” for same-sex marriage advocates. “We were 0-for-32 up to that point.”

Sen. Bill Haine, another Democrat, wants a constitutional ban against gay marriage. But he said supporters of same-sex marriage should favor putting the issue to voters.

“We could have a great debate among our citizens,” he said.

The amendment would have to be put on the ballot and win a statewide vote to go into effect.

Under current Illinois law, gay couples are allowed to enter into civil unions that provide many of the same legal rights as married couples. However, they don’t have the legal rights to state-recognized marriage.

Rep. Harris said he will decide in the coming days whether to push for a same-sex marriage bill next week. Lawmakers will be convening this week for the legislature’s annual two week veto session.