Md. Gay Marriage Bill Inching Forward

After hitting a speed-bump Tuesday, the Maryland gay marriage bill appears to be getting back on track for a House floor vote in Maryland.

The Maryland House Judiciary Committee was unable to vote on the bill Tuesday afternoon.  Two members of the committee could not be found in the statehouse in Annapolis, so the bill could not come up for a vote.  By law, bills may go before a house vote without having been first voted on in committee, but there is no legislative precedent.

Delegate Tiffany Alston, of Prince George's County, and Delegate Jill Carter, of Baltimore, were the two absent members yesterday.  They are both co-sponsors of the gay marriage bill, but they said yesterday they wanted more money placed back into the education budget before they voted yes.

On Wednesday, Alston said that she was ready to vote on the bill, but she did not say whether she would be voting in favor.

Nevertheless, Delegate Heather Mizeur, one of the chamber's six openly gay members, said the committee has the 12 votes it needs pass the bill out for a House vote.

Governor Martin O'Malley has said that if the bill passes in the House, he would vote gay marriage into law.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us