Speaker Madigan Claims Same-Sex Marriage Bill 12 Votes Short in House

By Jeffrey Knipmeyer on March 19, 2013

Courtesy of The Chicago Tribune and published on March 13, 2013, according to House Speaker Michael Madigan, the bill that would make Illinois the tenth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage could face a difficult road to approval this Spring.  He believes the bill is lacking 12 votes it needs for passage.

Since 60 votes are required for a bill to pass the Illinois House, Speaker Madigan’s comment means 48 Illinois lawmakers could already be in favor of establishing marriage equality in the state.  The same-sex marriage bill last month passed in the state Senate and has the approval of Democratic Governor Pat Quinn.  Governor Quinn is on record as being in support and has indicated that if the bill passes the Senate and reaches his desk, he would sign it into law.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative Greg Harris, who is a Democrat from Chicago, on Tuesday, March 12^th, 2013, told reporters that he believes the bill is a bit closer to passage, lacking fewer than 12 votes.  He also said that he would not call for a vote on the bill this week.  Lawmakers are in session the week beginning on March 18^th, but then out of town for the following two weeks.

He believes when the bill is put up on the board for a vote, the bill will have the necessary 60 votes for passage because the majority of Illinois residents believe establishing marriage equality is the right thing to do.

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