News

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland House of Delegates on Thursday put off for at least one day a scheduled debate on legislation to legalize same-sex marriage, leading some to speculate that supporters lack the votes to pass the legislation.

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey state Assembly on Thursday approved its version of the marriage equality bill by a vote of 42-33, although political analysts noted the vote falls short of the necessary 54 votes for an override of Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s promised veto.

The popular music director at a Charlotte Catholic church has lost his job because he married his partner of 23 years in New York, one of seven states to recognize same-sex marriages.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A panel in the Tennessee state House on Wednesday voted to advance the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a measure that would prohibit Tennessee public schools from teaching LGBTQ-related issues.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma state Rep. Al McAffrey, was elected to the state Senate in a special election on Tuesday, becoming the first openly gay Oklahoma state senator.

CHICAGO — Mayor Rahm Emanuel pledged his support for a new bill introduced in the General Assembly last week that would legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois. Emanuel’s support for the bill comes nearly a day after Gov. Pat Quinn suggested that he was unsure about his stance on same-sex marriage, despite having signed the civil unions bill into law last year.

A Colorado Senate committee on Wednesday evening gave its blessing for a bill to establish civil unions in Colorado. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Pat Steadman and Lucia Guzman, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 5-2.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) hopes to put the politically delicate question of same-sex marriage behind him and is prepared to swiftly veto a bill extending marriage rights to gays and lesbians, even if it means ignoring the arguments of proponents.

Valentine’s Day 2012 was marked with more progress on marriage equality front, this time in Maryland; also a gay couple set a new world record for the longest kiss, and a Google doodle sends a Valentine to gay couples. Here’s “The Wrap” for February 14, 2012…

COON RAPIDS, Minn. — The Anoka-Hennepin school board, which oversees the state’s largest school district, has adopted a new policy that replaces a policy that required teachers to stay neutral in matters relating to sexual orientation — a policy critics called a “gag rule” that constrained teachers from dealing with harassment and bullying of LGBT students.