Two House committees in Maryland chose to advance a measure Tuesday that would legalize same-sex marriage, according to Reuters. Maryland recognizes similar marriages in other states, but they can't be conducted in the state.
Here's the latest news on the current status of the controversial bill.
* The House of Delegates' Judiciary Committee and the Health and Government Operations Committee held a joint vote, approving the measure 25-18. The full House of Delegates will vote on the measure today.
* The vote came one day after Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire signed gay marriage legislation into law. If Maryland passed the measure, it would become the eighth state to legalize the practice, along with Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and Iowa. The District of Columbia also has legal same-sex marriage.
* A vote could be held in the Maryland Senate on Friday, according to the head of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Senator Brian Frosh. A similar bill passed the Senate last year but failed to come to a vote in the House due to a lack of support.
* The bill might be short a few votes. Despite vocal support from Gov. Martin O'Malley and a large majority of Democratic delegates, many Democrats are divided on their vote.
* The Baltimore Sun reports a surprise vote Tuesday came from Ann Arundel County Delegate Robert Costa, a Republican who voted in favor passage. He's the only House Republican to do so. Republican Patrick Hogan of Frederick County is undecided. Hogan's campaign website provides no platform on the issue.
* Costa said he based his vote on a belief government could not decide the issue, though he personally opposes the practice.
* If passed, the law could go up for referendum this fall, but a recent poll from the Washington Post shows Maryland residents support gay marriage, 50 percent to 44 percent.
* Activist groups on both sides are planning lobbying activities. The Maryland Catholic Conference, which strongly opposes the legislation, is holding a Lobby Night, according to its website on Feb. 20 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Annapolis. The night is meant to highlight other issues as well including poverty and immigration issues, the death penalty, and abortion clinic regulations.
* Pro-same sex marriage group Equality Maryland's website reports that it held a lobby day on Feb. 13 at the Lawyer's Mall in Annapolis. It continues to do phone banking.
Shawn Humphrey is a former contributor to The Flint Journal and lives near Washington in Gaithersburg, Md.
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