As of yesterday, Washington now has enough votes in the legislature to legalize same-sex marriage. Democratic Senator Mary Margaret Haugen came out in support of the bill yesterday, and provided the 25th vote needed to ensure that the bill passes out of the Senate. The House has enough support for the bill and Governor Gregoire has also endorsed the bill.
As reported in the Everett Herald, the identical bills will:
- Allow couples of the same sex to marry if both persons are at least 18 years old
- Convert state-registered domestic partnerships of same-sex couples into marriage on June 30, 2014, unless the couple marry or dissolve their partnership before then
- Make existing law gender-neutral so couples getting married would say they “take each other to be spouses” rather than they “take each other to be husband and wife”
- No licensed or ordained religious official is required to conduct marriages of same-sex couples
- No religious organization is required to provide accommodations, facilities, services, or goods for a wedding ceremony or celebration
Click here for links to the full bills: Senate Bill 6239 , House bill 2516.
This is a huge step forward for Washington and brings us one step closer towards equality for all.
