Maryland governor signs bill legalizing gay marriage

[brooklynite]

Source: USA Today

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Maryland's governor has signed a measure legalizing gay marriage, joining seven other states and the District of Columbia.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, signed the bill Thursday, a week after its final passage in the Legislature. The law is scheduled to take effect in January 2013.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-01/maryland-gay-marriage-law/53319758/1

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Becoming another day at the Office...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Great! but now the republicans want a state-wide referendum

Republicans want to control your life

Fired-up opponents have pledged to collect 100,000 signatures opposing the bill by June 30 -- about twice what they would need to trigger a state-wide referendum on the topic. On Wednesday several powerful groups joined forces to accomplish that goal.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/blog/bal-omalley-to-sign-samesex-marriage-bill-today-20120229,0,1317765.story

[Faygo Kid]

2. Proud to be a Marylander today

On most days, this would be at the top of DU, but I guess the fact it's not shows we expect it - which is a good thing.

Now we need to focus on the war on women that the GOP has declared, and Rush has brought out into the open so disgustingly.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Yeah,it's funny

There are a number of threads about this in varioaus forums. No one seems to much care.

Odd.

[Tx4obama]

3. K & R n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. Proud to be a Marylander!! Go Terps!!

[csziggy]

6. Wonderful!

[pampango]

7. Great news. And the republicans will lead a lead a petition drive to repeal this just like

they did last year when Maryland passed its version of the Dream Act.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/311553

"A coalition called the Maryland Marriage Alliance has applied to the state to lead the referendum push, and its director has said he expects the group's petitions will be pre-cleared by state officials for circulation by the end of this week.

Derek McCoy, director of the group, said on Wednesday his coalition was already training outreach teams and could be in churches training pastors on the issue as early as Sunday.

Neil Parrott, a Republican in the House of Delegates who opposed the bill, said: "The petitions are going to be in mosques, they're going to be in synagogues, in churches."

Countering the repeal effort is Marylanders for Marriage Equality, a coalition including the Human Rights Campaign, the Baltimore Chapter of the NAACP, the Service Employees International Union, Equality Maryland and others that is working to build support for same-sex marriage.

It's so great to see Democratic states like Maryland take the lead on issues like gay marriage and the Dream Act - even while republicans do their best to stand in the way of progress.