Late yesterday, supporters won their month-long battle to defeat the proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Governor Patrick was pleased with the result of the legislature’s vote that defeated the referendum on the amendment 151 – 45. The amendment needed at least 50 favorable votes in order to be added to the referendum for voters in 2008.
In Massachusetts today, the freedom to marry is secure. – Governor Deval Patrick; Massachusetts
What Happens Now?
Opponents will have to head back to square one now in order to sponsor a new amendment. There will be no way it will get on a ballot before 2012. Massachusetts remains the only state that legally allows same-sex marriage. There are four other states that allow civil unions and California allows for Domestic Partnerships (we’ll be looking at California more in depth next week when we return to our Marriage Laws series).
Yesterday’s win for the same-sex marriage was not a sure thing. In January, the legislature approved the first round of the amendment with 62 lawmakers supporting it. And as of late yesterday morning, there were advocates on both sides that were not convinced, which way the vote would go. Lobbying on both sides of the aisle was being vigorously pursued. The vote was so much in question that when one Gloucester Democrat fell down the stairs and struck his head, there was serious concern that it might affect the vote. Representative Anthony Verga (72) slipped on the Grand Staircase and banged his head. He was taken out on a stretcher.
Same-sex marriages became legal in May 2004 in Massachusetts. Since that time, 8,500 same-sex couples have married (and one benchmark couple filed for divorce). GOP presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney supported efforts to get the state constitution amended in order to ban gay marriage.
The vote in Massachusetts was the focus of both state and national groups. Reports indicate that the session took less than 10 minutes and when the vote was declared, supporters of same sex marriage rose in standing ovation with tears in their eyes.
Check out more articles on the Marriage Debates and Marriage in the News