Illinois lawmakers pass bill for gay marriage

The Washington Times ^ | 11/5/2013 | Cheryl Wetzstein

[markomalley]

Illinois all but became the 15th state to enact gay marriage Tuesday as lawmakers passed the bill with only one vote to spare in the lower chamber, sending the bill to a governor eager to sign it.

The bill, which was still sitting on the desk of Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat, on Tuesday evening, will permit gay marriages to begin in June, a delay crucial in winning passage as it changed the needed number of votes.

Tuesday’s crucial vote came in the House, which had unexpectedly refused to go along the last time it was presented with a gay-marriage bill. Tuesday’s 61-54 vote was just one more than the needed 60 supporters; two lawmakers voted “present.” That vote sent the gay-marriage bill to the Senate, which promptly approved it on a 32-21 vote.