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Suburban Chicago mayors back Ill. same-sex marriage legislation

Suburban Chicago mayors back Ill. same-sex marriage legislation

GENEVA, Ill. — Seven mayors from the Chicago suburbs are signing on in support of same-sex marriage legislation.

Chicago, Ill.
Chicago, Ill.

Nonpartisan officials largely comprise the group from Plano, Geneva, North Aurora, St. Charles, Elburn, Yorkville and Sleepy Hollow.

They released a letter Tuesday morning through the gay marriage advocacy group Illinois Unites for Marriage. The mayors say same-sex couples and their families are denied full protection under Illinois law.

Same-sex marriage legislation got a February Senate OK but has not been called for a vote in the Democratic-controlled House.

Activists are targeting moderate suburban Republicans as well as socially conservative members of the House Black Caucus Democrats to get the 60 votes needed.

Illinois allowed civil unions in 2011. There are now 14 states, plus Washington D.C., that allow same-sex marriage.

Correction:

In an earlier version of this story, The Associated Press, relying on information from an advocacy group, erroneously reported a list of seven suburban Chicago mayors who signed a letter in support of same-sex marriage legislation. The final list included the mayor of Yorkville, not DeKalb.

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