A bill seeking to make Illinois the
10th state to legalize gay marriage cleared the Senate on
Thursday.
Lawmakers approved the measure with a
34-21 vote and sent it to the House for further consideration.
Neither the Senate nor the House have
previously voted on marriage equality. However, Illinois legalized
civil unions two years ago.
The bill's champion in the Senate,
Senator Heather Steans, a Democrat from Chicago, told colleagues in
her opening remarks that “The time has come for Illinois to provide
the freedom to marry for same-sex couples.”
“Senate Bill 10 also protects
religious freedom,” she said. “No faith can be forced to perform
or recognize a same-sex marriage.”
Senator Mark Sandoval, a Democrat from
Cicero, said the legislation was an opportunity to bring justice to
friends and co-workers. Jesus said “love one another,” Sandoval
said. “That means everyone, including those who are gay and
lesbian.”
Republican Senator Dale Righter urged
against passage, arguing that “fear of what may happen” will
cause churches “to pull back on that outreach to people that spend
time in places beyond the walls of their church.”
Another opponent, Senator Kyle
McCarter, a Republican, said the bill would “jeopardize freedom
rather than expanding it” because it would “take away the rights
of many.”
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