And in other news...

To round out the super-big gay news day, here are some bits you may have missed on the interweb this afternoon:

• Illinois' civil union bill has died, left floundered and unvoted on as the session ended. It passed the House fairly easily, but the Senate let it sit along with a lot of other bills, including cigarette taxes, medical marijuana, and a helmet law. It can come back next session, however, as they have two sessions to bring it up again.
  
• Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler is seeking a legal opinion about whether that state can acknowledge same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, despite laws defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Former Assistant AG Robert Zarnoch wrote an opinion that it would not be allowed under current law, but stated the issue was far from settled.
  
• Maine's voter drive to repeal the same-sex marriage law there is taking shape. Rev. Bob Emrich has said that 5,000 petitions are being circulated to collect the requisite 55,000 signatures to put a referendum on the ballot to overturn a legislative action.
• After the House in New Hampshire came to a compromise on the seemingly never-ending process that is their marriage equality bill, Gov. Lynch has said that he supports the new language and will vote for it. A vote is expected this week; we may have another state by Friday.
  
• On June 3rd, the Uniting American Families Act, which would allow individuals to sponsor their same-sex partners from a different country for citizenship, is holding its first hearing this Wednesday. The House bill (HB 1024) currently has 102 cosponsors; the Senate bill (S. 424) has 17.
• IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (H. 2517) was introduced into the House by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to give certain benefits to the partners of federal employees on May 20. There are currently 64 co-sponsors, and it has been referred to three different committees for consideration.

And, finally and most important locally, the Equal Housing and Employment Act will hold its second hearing in the Government Committee of the Ohio legislature. Slated to speak: Lynne Bowman (Equality Ohio), Michael Payton (Ohio Civil Rights Commission), Bishop Ough (of the United Methodist Church), Mayor Warren Copeland (Springfield, OH), Jimmie Beall, Jim McCarthy (Miami Valley Fair Housing Coalition), and Ron Templin (on behalf of Cardinal Health, which will be the first time the Cardinal has ever made a political testimony on anything). Testimonies will be up at Do What's Right, Ohio by Thursday morning.

Two bits on Marrage Equality

Two quick bits to keep you in the know:

• Vermont is fast tracking the marriage equality bill. It may be a rocky ride, as the Senate is overwhelmingly Dem (23-7) in support, but the House will be a little dicier. Governor Jim Douglas has not yet said whether he would sign it, but will wait for it to come out of Congress (which is a wise move politically -- he doesn't piss anyone off, but he has not been supportive in the past). Vermont's Legislative Session reconvenes on the 17th of March.
• Illinois' civil union bill made it out of the Judical Committee on a disappointing 4-3 vote for consideration by the greater House. We'll watch it.

Now, remember, I have it on good authority that Maine may be the first legislatively passed equal marriage bill. We'll see whether my source is as right as they think they are.

Random Gay News Round-Up

...well, not really. Just a couple things this morning.

Because I'm a righteous and self-important queer blogger, imagine my enthusiasm when I read the piece in the Washington Post about the growing influence of gay bloggers on the political world. It focuses on the ever fabulous Pam's House Blend, but also mentions some other friends of this blog (including Bilerico):

In the past, someone like Spaulding would have been relegated to the sidelines. She doesn't work for national gay rights organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign or the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. She lives with her partner, Kate, an audiologist, in Durham, far from San Francisco, New York or Washington, where gay activism has been historically based. But now she's helping shape the agenda, one voice in a chorus of sometimes dissonant, sometimes harmonious, often in-your-face voices that is pushing established gay groups and redefining the meaning of grass-roots action in this new media age...

"For me, blogging has been about looking outside my own lens. If it wasn't for reading blogs, for example, I wouldn't know as much as I know now about transgender issues," Spaulding says. "At first I thought, 'I'm not transgender. This is not my issue.' But then you read about it, you make the connections and you realize that, yes, I'm a part of that, too."

It's an interesting article that has highlighted a lot of the stuff that has happened over the past few months amongst gay bloggers -- including the Rick Warren debacle and the JoinTheImpact movement. It's well done, over all.

And just a few things on marriage: the New York Times calls for an actual vote (preferably a vote in the affirmative) for equal marriage in Rhode Island. The same could be said for New York State. Illinois has an equal marriage bill introduced. And financial analysts predict that equal marriage in Maine could bring about $60million to the state's economy for same-sex nuptials. I feel like we're in a race for the first legislatively-passed equal marriage law.

Oh, and the Utah State Senator Buttars thing goes on... the ass. Someone is finally pointing out that the man is a distraction and taking away from real work. The same could be said for the entire legislature who, apparently, hates gays just so much.

Equal Marriage Updates

I need, like, a central map that charts everything that is happening in the world of equal marriage -- status of current bills, news items, etc. etc. etc.

• Maine, in the wake of the introduction of an equal marriage bill, has a new anti-gay website launched called the Maine Marriage Initiative, which states that "marriages should be strengthened, no redefined." Like New Hampshire, Maine is an odd New England state that has the propensity to swing towards conservative values while still being pretty solidly Dem. I'm curious to see how this one will turn out -- Vermont, as well, I think is in the same boat.
• North Carolina is also dealing with a new anti-equal marriage campaign, as fundies have targeted the state to create a DOMA -- as it is the last southern state without one. Their creative byline? "One Man. One Woman. That's Marriage." Uh-huh. Except in six countries and two states.
• On the good side, Illinois had an equal marriage bill introduced. What I think is so amazing to me is that we're starting to see the tide turn for no other reason than we are seeing pro-same sex marriage initiatives launched, as opposed to the plethora of anti- bills we have seen go up in the past. Of course, this one is being proposed by a gay state Representative, so I'm sure it will be billed as "special interest."
• Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith has closed the discussion: New York State will not bring up gay marriage this year. Despite his support, despite the Assembly passing the bill, despite Gov. Paterson promising to sign it (and despite probably public opinion in favor of it, I believe)... apparently it's just too much of an issue to bother with this year. My concern at this point: we see a huge conservative swing in 2010 and there goes any hope for it. But, as you know, no one listens to me on these things.
• Despite their otherwise weirdness on all things homo these days, Wyoming legislators rejected the opportunity to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot banning same-sex marriage. I'm really confused by the Rocky Mountain States. Singing Katy Perry: You're hot, then you're cold, you're yes then you're no...
• Speaking of weird Rocky Mountain states, the home of Rep. Musgrove who wrote the Federal Marriage Amendment is having an equal marriage legislation brought before it... by a straight couple. It's nice when other people do our work for us. But, seriously, thanks to the amazing allies who stepped up to the cause and will, probably, do more for it than we could ourselves. We'd get in a tizzy over the language.
• Speaking of amazing allies... on the homefront, our own Dean of Cincinnati, the publisher of the Cincinnati Beacon asks: "Why can't I solemnize gay marriage?" Good question -- and on the front page of the website!!! -- and thanks to our local friends and supporters for everything they do to advance the cause. (The comments are just priceless, btw.)

I just had an idea. Hrm. I need to make a phone call to the HRC, and stat.