Marriage Equality Bill Won’t Come to Vote
Representative Mike Lawlor and Senator Andrew McDonald announced today that they won’t be pushing for a vote on their Marriage Equality bill this session.
Update: Just a quick update, since Christine Stuart posted a report, and I like her better than the Courant I’m inserting this excerpt from CT News Junkie up top:
Connecticut could have became the first state in the nation to pass a same-sex marriage bill without a court order, but the likelihood of that happening seems to have been put on hold. Click here to read about why advocates believe it would be better to pass public policy than to let the court decide.
To add insult to injury for marriage equality advocates, Gov. M. Jodi Rell said again this week that she would veto the bill because she believes a marriage is between a man and a woman.
**End of Update**
“A significant number of legislators have told us that they are currently in favor of same-sex marriage personally, but feel the state will be ready for it in another year or two. With time, these are the people that will create a majority,” Lawlor said in a press release issued Friday. “This doesn’t surprise me because we’ve been seeing the same trends happening in the general public, too, with more people gradually coming out in support for same-sex marriage. When it passes, I hope it is a strong bipartisan vote as was the case with civil unions in 2005.”
Unfortunately the inevitable move to full marriage equality is one that won’t be taken by the state of Connecticut this year. In a letter to supporters of Love Makes a Family, Anne Stanbeck writes:
We are disappointed that after coming so far, we did not quite have the votes we needed in the House to advance the bill this session.
However, we can’t help but feel encouraged by the significant progress we have made in the two years since the civil union law passed, progress that was only possible because of strong grassroots action by people like you.
Constituent house meetings with legislators, participation in our Lobby Day, letters and op-eds to your local newspapers, door-to-door canvassing, phone calls, e-mails…all of these things made a difference in changing the hearts and minds of legislators. And, according to recent polls, there is tremendous momentum in moving public opinion here in Connecticut.
But momentum is not inevitability and it is imperative that we continue to be vocal and be visible. We still must win those remaining votes in the legislature, as well as convince Governor Rell that treating all Connecticut families fairly is the right thing to do.
OK, so the move to full marriage equality isn’t inevitable, unless we continue to call for it. Show your support for Love Makes a Family, and for marriage equality, by making a contribution or signing up to volunteer.