http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/illinois-senate-passes-marriage-equality
That’s a good Valentine’s Day for a lot of people. 
It’s nice when this damn state’s government does something right.
Let’s hope it makes it through the House. Fingers crossed!
Hmm, maybe MMJ is next ;D
Yay!!
I live in Illinois and my youngest daughter is gay. We went to her wedding in Iowa in December. So passing this bill is OK with me except…
Illinois is Many Billion$ in debt. Instead of passing a lot of laws that are in the ‘feel good’ arena, WTF aren’t they doing something about Illinois going down the toilet economically???
We need to fire all these clowns the next election and get in a whole new group. People picked at random from the phone book, or even Facebook, could do a better job.
So from the moment this “feel good” bill (with substantial consequences for real people like your daughter) was introduced, no legislator paid any attention to any other issues?
Besides, gay weddings will double the wedding planner/florist/caterer/DJ/band/venue markets!
I don’t think it’s too terribly much to expect of even state legislators that they be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.
And this isn’t some resolution honoring Miss Teen South-Central Illinois. This is substantive legislation.
I think that removing discrimination counts as significant legislation.
Yup. This is giving people civil rights. Besides, that vote is done with in the Senate now; they haven’t exactly been tying up the place for days or weeks with nothing but the merits of fab-u-lous catered parties and rainbow-colored “Just Married” signs.
Think about this: My daughter and her spouse recently moved over to Missouri even though Illinois is more gay-friendly. Why? Lower taxes and better job opportunities.
I think the legislators - of both parties - will do anything to get votes and also do anything to avoid making the tough decisions.
I think that making gay marriage legal IS a tough decision, because most people do care about it one way or the other. I live in Texas, and if a politician decided to vote for gay marriage, s/he would almost certainly be voted out in the next election. Unless, of course, the crowd with the torches and pitchforks got to him/her first.