Maryland Governor Heart's Gays!

from the Baltimore Sun

Gov.Martin O'Malley said that his same-sex marriage bill could be voted out of a House committee as early as this week, but acknowledged that he's still a few votes short on the floor.

"People always make their decisions against deadlines," O'Malley said to reporters after giving an address at an Annapolis rally. "The bill has been heard in the House and is likely to move. Exactly when will be up to The Speaker of course."

An aide to Speaker Michael E. Busch said no plans on the bill have been finalized.

Senate Judicial Proceedings Chairman Brian Frosh said that he too believed the House was set to move the bill this week, and is waiting on that chamber before sending the Senate version of the legislation to the floor.

Frosh said he won't wait indefinitely. "If they keep twiddling their thumbs we'll take a vote," Frosh said.

An Annapolis insider said that the governor met with undecided delegates last week, and will be trying to nail down a final vote count in the chamber early this week. "Right now there is a lot of soul searching going on and a lot of people will be making their decisions finally in the next few days," O'Malley said.

The governor told some supporters Monday that the bill is still a couple votes shy of the 71 needed for passage in the House. The Sun wrote about some of the undecided delegates last week.

O'Malley made an unscheduled appearance at the night time rally for his bill. Opponents held their own event in the end of January.

Also speaking with GOP Sen. Allan Kittleman, the only Republican state lawmaker to support the bill. He said that his vote last year in favor of the same-sex marriage legislation was "the most significant of his life" and added that he's "never thought twice about it."

Another speaker Monday night was Baltimore Del. Keiffer Mitchell, who was instrumental pushing the bill last year. "I know things look bleak," Mitchell said. "And sometimes people look down and wonder where the votes are."

He added that he is still confident his side will prevail.