MN Marriage Amendment Headed for House Vote

A friend who was at the Minnesota Capitol this morning shares the following report:

A final House committee narrowly approved the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. The vote was 13-12. Opponents of the measure packed the room and there were many great statements given by DFL legislators. There was a motion to table the amendment and some civil disobedience but in the end the amendment passed. A number of people were visibly upset by this. Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Red Wing) was the only Republican to vote against the amendment. With the large turnout to the rally on Monday and the number of calls and emails against the amendment, there are still quite a few legislators who are conflicted about their vote. It's our last chance now to connect with our legislators. For contact information for all Minnesota State Representatives, click here.

The Minnesota House of Representatives will vote tomorrow on HF 1613, the bill which would ask Minnesota voters in 2012 to amend the State Constitution to ban civil marriage for same-sex couples. If anti-equality proponents carry the day tomorrow, we will be forced to fight the amendment in a long, expensive campaign to Election Day 2012.

OutFront Minnesota, Project 515, Catholics for Marriage Equality MN, and other pro-equality groups are urging people to be at the Capitol tomorrow, starting at 2:30 p.m. There we will attempt to stop this bill in the Legislature.


See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
At the Minnesota Capitol, Signs of the Times
David Booth on What It Might Mean to "Let the People Decide" on the Marriage Amendment
The Real Losers at the MN State Capitol Today
Opposition to the Marriage Amendment Grows
Tips on Speaking as a Catholic in Support of Marriage Equality
Winona Daily News Calls Proposed Marriage Amendment "Bigoted" and "Malicious"
Law Professor: Marriage Amendment is Divisive and Mean-Spirited
Rep. Steve Simon on Gay Marriage and the Arc of History
Disappointing, But Not Unexpected: "Marriage Amendment" Bill Passes MN Senate Judiciary Committee
Governor Mark Dayton to LGBT Advocates: "I Stand with You"
A Celebration of Faith and Family; A Call for Compassion and Fairness
A Message for NOM (and the Catholic Hierarchy
Minnesotans Rally for Equality and Love
Responding to Bishop Tobin's Remarks on Gay Marriage
Archbishop Nienstedt Calls (Again) for a Marriage Amendment to Minnesota's Constitution
A Catholic Statement of Support for Same-Sex Marriage

Recommended Off-site Links:
Vote Sends Minnesota Gay Marriage Amendment to Full House – Fox9.com (May 18, 2011).
Governor Dayton Strongly Opposes Gay Marriage Ban – Leslie Rolander (KSTP.com, May 18, 2011).
Why Marriage Amendment is Bad Policy, and Bad Politics, for Republicans – Dale Carpenter (Pioneer Press, May 17, 2011).
Cottage Grove Lawmakers Question Same-Sex Marriage Amendment's Effect, Timing – Scott Wente (South Washington County Bulletin, May 16, 2011).
Most U.S. Catholics Back Civil Marriage for Gays – Lou Chibbaro Jr. (The Washington Blade, March 31, 2011).
Catholics More Supportive of Gay Rights Than General Public, Other Christians – Michael Sean Winters (National Catholic Reporter, March 22, 2011 – via The Progressive Catholic Voice).
U.S. Catholics Break with Church Hierarchy on Gay Relationships – Cathy Lynn Grossman (USA Today, March 23, 2011).
Banning Gay Marriage Would Institutionalize Injustice – Gary Boelhower (Duluth News Tribune, May 1, 2011).

Image: A member of the public at this morning's hearing. (Photographer unknown.)