The Washington state House of Representatives will open the floor for debate this afternoon on the same-sex marriage bill that passed a week ago in the state Senate.
Reuters has reported that the bill is expected to pass in the House where Democrats hold a big majority. The bill passed the Senate, which is also controlled by the Democrats, on a 28-21 vote. Gov. Christine Gregoire promised to sign the Washington state same-sex marriage bill after it clears the House, with "some speculat[ing] would lead to its enactment next Tuesday, Valentine's Day." Same-sex partners will be able to get married on June 7, 2012.
However, opponents of same-sex marriage vowed to initiate the process to overturn the legislation should it pass by gathering the required number of signatures (241,153) from registered voters by July 6, 2012 in order to qualify for the November 2012 ballot. Washington voters would then have an opportunity to cast their vote either for an initiative that would either restrict the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman or a referendum for repeal of the same-sex marriage bill - a situation reminiscent of California's Proposition 8. The a 3-judge panel in the 9th Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional - a ruling that could help supporters of same-sex marriage if the Washington state legislation is overturned by voters and challenged in court.
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