In Brief

Staff Reports

Maryland Governor To Deliver On Marriage Vow Made Last Summer

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND -- Maryland's Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley is set to introduce a marriage equality bill. The Governor is hosting a breakfast gathering of Maryland same-sex couples gathering at his official residence, Government House afterwards announcing his draft legislation at a news conference.

A senior aide said that the Governor will be joined by legislators, LGBTQ friendly clergy and some of the state's labor leaders who are supportive of the same-sex marriage bill. A same-sex marriage bill cleared the Senate last year but fell short in the House of Delegates. In an effort to garner attract more support, the bill will include more explicit protections for religious organizations who have been vocal in their opposition to same-sex marriages.

Last July, the Governor who is a devout Catholic, whose earlier position was in favour of Civil Unions instead of marriage said:

“At the end of the day, I think all of us need to look at this issue from the eyes of children of gay, committed couples and ask ourselves how one family could be protected less in the eyes of the law than another family,” O’Malley said, flanked by lawmakers who support the legislation. “I don’t think that’s an injustice that can be allowed to stand.”

At that same press conference, he vowed that he would bring a same-sex marriage bill to the Maryland Legislature when it reconvened in January 2012.