State house passes same-sex marriage bill

By REPORTER STAFF
Mercer Island Reporter Staff
February 8, 2012 · 4:54 PM

The bill legalizing same-sex marriage cleared a final hurdle to become law in Washington state today.

The Washington State House of Representatives voted 55 to 43 this afternoon to approve Senate Bill 6239, which will legalize same-sex marriages. The state senate had approved the bill earlier this week. The governor plans to sign the bill into law and has five working days to do so.

Mercer Island's legislators, Reps. Marcie Maxwell and Judy Clibborn, both Democrats, voted for the bill in the House today. Sen. Steve Litzow, of Mercer Island, a Republican, voted yes in the Senate a week ago, when the vote was 28 to 21 in favor of the bill.

While supporters celebrated, others began planning how to reverse the soon-to-be new law. According to the Daily Olympian, opponents including the evangelical Faith and Freedom Network have pledged to mount a referendum or initiative to repeal the law, and one activist has already filed Initiative 1192 to limit marriages by law to one man and one woman.

To explain how the ballot challenges might unfold, the Office of the Secretary of State has a special section on its website. Go to http://blogs.sos.wa.gov/FromOurCorner/index.php/2012/02/faq-on-pending-gaymarriage-referendum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Mercer Island Reporter Staff Reporter Staff at editor@mi-reporter.com.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.