By Joanne von Alroth
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Feb 14 (Reuters) - The Illinois state
Senate approved a bill to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday
in a Valentine's Day vote spearheaded by Democrats, as gay
couples around the country used the romantic day to dramatize
their quest for the right to marry.
The Illinois Senate, which is heavily Democratic, voted
34-21 largely along party lines to advance the measure to the
House in President Barack Obama's home state. The fate of the
bill in the state's lower chamber remains uncertain.
Democratic Governor Pat Quinn has promised to sign any bill
legalizing gay marriage, which would make Illinois the 10th
state to legalize same-sex nuptials, in addition to the District
of Columbia. It would also become the first Midwestern state to
approve same-sex marriage through legislation. Iowa's Supreme
Court legalized such marriages there in 2009.
"Full equality for all people is right for Illinois," Quinn
said in a statement urging the House to approve the measure.
Obama has encouraged the drive to legalize gay marriage,
authorizing a White House statement recently saying that if he
were still in the Illinois legislature, he would vote for it.
The Illinois drive to legalize gay marriage coincided with a
national campaign by a coalition of gay rights groups to
highlight the issue on Valentine's Day.
As part of what they call "Freedom to Marry Week," same-sex
couples will request marriage licenses in 18 places around the
country, including a number of states where same sex-marriage is
not legal.
"These laws are unjust and immoral, and we are confronting
those laws head-on across the country," said Heather Cronk,
managing director of GetEQUAL, a gay rights group.
Democrats accounted for all but one of the votes supporting
legalization of gay marriage in the Illinois Senate. Three
Democrats voted against the bill and two voted "present."
Republican Senator Jason Barickman brought audible gasps on
the Senate floor and galleries when he said changes sponsors
made earlier Thursday to guarantee religious liberty had
persuaded him to support the bill.
Barickman acknowledged afterward that his vote could cause a
backlash in his largely conservative district, but he had no
regrets. "I feel like I did the right thing," he said.
Democratic Senator Bill Haine voted against the proposal and
along with Democratic Representative Daniel Beiser has proposed
amending the Illinois constitution to define marriage as between
a man and a woman.
"We are changing an institution that is revered or held
sacred ... by thousands of people," Haine said. Although the
Illinois House, like the state's Senate, is controlled by
Democrats, the fate of the legislation in the lower chamber
remains a question mark. It is unclear when representatives
might take up the proposal.
Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross said he was not
sure whether the measure would gain Republican support. There
also was concern that some black Democratic legislators from
Chicago could oppose the measure because of pressure from
African-American Christian pastors.
Some black ministers have joined Illinois Catholic bishops
in expressing strong opposition to legalization.
The state's financial crisis is expected to dominate the
legislature this year and some business groups have said
lawmakers should focus solely on the state's fiscal mess.
Three states approved same-sex marriage by referendum in the
November election: Maryland, Maine and Washington. Rhode Island,
the only state in New England that has not yet legalized
same-sex marriage, moved a step closer last month with approval
by its state House of Representatives, although it was expected
to face an uphill battle in the state Senate.
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