In Brief

Staff Reports

Washington State House Committee Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill: Sends It To Full House For Vote

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON -- The Washington State House Judiciary committee on Monday advanced the House version of a bill to legalise same-sex marriage by a 7-5 vote Monday. The measure is now slated to head to the full house for a vote as early as Wednesday. The state Senate passed their version in a late evening session last Wednesday by a 28 to 21 vote.

Washington's Governor Chris Gregoire has already committed to signing the measure into law and according to sources in her office, that may occur as early as next week.

Same-sex marriage opponents have publicly promised a ballot referendum challenge.

New Jersey Senate Will Vote On Same Sex Marriage Bill February 13; House Assembly To Vote Three Days Later

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY -- New Jersey's Democratic majority leadership in the state's legislature announced Monday that legislative measures to legalise same sex marriage in the New Jersey will advance to floor votes by both houses. The majority leadership announced that the Senate had scheduled a vote for February 13 followed by a House vote three days later.

This action puts added pressure on Republican Governor Chris Christie who has publicly vowed to veto any same-sex legalisation, instead calling on the state's lawmakers to put the issue before the voters on the 2012 November general elections ballot.

Should the Governor make good with his promise to reject the bill, lawmakers from both parties acknowledge that the legislation will need to win the support of two-thirds of both houses -- the threshold for overriding a governor's veto.

The state has allowed same-sex civil unions since 2007. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found New Jersey voters support same-sex marriage by a margin of 52 to 42-percent.

More than 38 states ban or refuse to recognize same sex marriage, but six states, as well as the District of Columbia, allow it. Same sex marriage is legal in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Iowa.