Illinois Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie is urging state lawmakers in the House to back same-sex matrimony.
Earlier this month, the Chicago Democrat sent a letter to all her colleagues in the House, calling on them to approve gay marriage in the state. The letter, which was released Saturday, comes after Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak launched a Chicagoland campaign in early September to entice local LGBT couples to marry in his city. Same-sex marriage became legal in Minnesota on August 1.
During the spring legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly fumbled on a bill, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, that would have legalized same-sex marriage in the Land of Lincoln. The measure passed the Senate, but the House sponsor, State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), did not call it for a vote. Harris said the legislation did not garner the 60 votes needed for approval before the end of the session in May. Gov. Pat Quinn has said he would sign the bill.
In the letter, Currie said same-sex marriage is an issue of equality. She added that the local wedding industry and the state's economy would benefit if same-sex marriage was legalized.
"Illinois has been missing out on this economic opportunity long before Minneapolis' mayor unleashed his advertising campaign in our state," Currie wrote in the letter. "For whichever reason moves you, it's time we stop playing second fiddle to our neighbors and do what is best for our state ..."
Comments
Login or register to post comments