Friday, January 28, 2011

Tax Breaks for Sodomites Moving Forward in Maryland

from the Baltimore Sun
February: Same-sex marriage month in Maryland

The legislative debate over same-sex marriage will get going in the Maryland Senate on Feb. 8.

That's the date Senate Judicial Proceedings Chairman Brian Frosh has set for a hearing on the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, a bill that would allow Maryland to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. The hearing is set for 1 p.m., and will wrap in all other bills "relating to same-sex marriage and civil unions," according to the schedule.

Additional bills could include the civil unions bill that Sen. Allan Kittleman, a Howard County Republican, says he'll introduce.

A review by The Baltimore Sun indicates that the bill allowing full gay marriage rights has the support of exactly enough senators and a bare majority of delegates on the Senate Judicial Proceedings and House Judiciary panels to proceed to floor votes.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Joseph F. Vallario, Jr., has said that he'll wait and see if the Senate passes the bill before he takes it up in his committee.

Eighteen of the state's 47 senators have co-sponsored the Senate bill. The House companion has 58 of 141 delegates. Lawmakers pushing the issue in both chambers are counting votes and sound confident they can secure final passage.

But opponents, including the Maryland Catholic Conference and the National Organization for Marriage, disagree and say the votes are not there on the floor. NOM, however, pledged to take the issue to the voters if it becomes law. If that happened, same-sex marriage could land on the 2012 ballot.

8 comments:

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Democrats thought they'd force the fag marriage amendment issue here in Missouri a few years back by putting the question on a Democrats only primary ballot, where it was soundly rejected by 71% of the Democrats.

In a battleground 50-50 Dem/GOP purple state like Missouri, that means it would have lost by over 90% if it were placed on an open general ballot.

Democrats do NOT want this issue on a ballot where their candidates are running against other parties.

Give 'em rope. :)

Joe Conservative said...

This is the "People's Republic" of Maryland. Fortunately, it's a "Christian" AME Republic. ;)

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

caught in that vortex of insanity between Washington DC and Boston...

Joe Conservative said...

They don't call me a vorticist for no reason. ;)

Michael- said...

Joe thinks:

"Give me liberty, or give me... oh, no, wait. Give us liberty, and restrict their freedoms - if only because we are the chosen choosers who get to decide who gets liberty..."

"Liberty for some!" cry the tea-baggers...

Joe Conservative said...

"Liberty for me," cry the tea partiers. If you want liberty, you're going to have to gain it yourself. It's not something someone else (like a commie prick) can "give you." ;-)

Michael- said...

So if "they" want Liberty and actually seek it out or gain it - by holding a rally so lawmakers notice - then "they" (the "fags", "sodomites", "evil-doers") are doing the right thing? SO then Tea-baggers are for gay pride parades? Cool.

Joe Conservative said...

Hold ALL the rallies you want michael. Just don't expect me to cry for you and yours when the cops bust your heads breaking the law in acts of public disobedience. And when the cops start unmasking the black bloc contingent... c'est la vie! Anonymity in public protest in NOT a right. ;)