Just hours after the Democratically-controlled Vermont legislature voted to enact a gender-neutral marriage bill over the veto of a Republican governor, the District of Columbia City Council voted 12-0 to recognize gender-neutral marriages from other jurisdictions. Coverage from the Washington Post:
Domestic partnerships are already legal in the nation's capital, and gay couples married in other states are recognized as domestic partners when they move to the city. But today's legislation, billed as an important milestone in gay rights, explicitly recognizes them as married couples.New Hampshire? Maine? Rhode Island? Wazzzzzzzup?
The initial vote was 12-0. The unanimous vote sets the stage for future debate on legalizing same-sex marriage in the District and a clash with Congress, which approves the city's laws under Home Rule. The council is expected to take a final vote on the legislation next month.
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), who is gay, called the amendment a matter of "basic fairness."
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Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large), who is also gay, predicted it was only a matter of time before the council also takes up a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the District. "It's no secret that I have been working on legislation that would take us further," he said. "This is the march toward human rights and equality. This is not the march toward special rights. This is the equal march and that march is coming here."
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