Openly gay Illinois state Rep. Greg Harris has proposed a new bill that would allow same-sex couples to marry in Illinois. The bill, scheduled to be discussed today in the state legislature, will first be presented to the Youth and Family Committee.
Despite expecting many same-sex couples to appear before the committee in support of the bill, Harris admits there are challenges in getting the bill to a vote in the house.
365 Gay reports:
Two years ago, a civil union bill introduced by Harris died when the session ended and conservative groups already have made it known they will fight the marriage bill. They’ve work to push for a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage they hope will make it to the ballot in 2010.
The marriage bill, officially called the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act would “provide eligible same-sex and opposite-sex couples with the same treatment as those in a civil marriage.”
The bill also makes it clear that no church would be required to perform or recognize same-sex marriages.
The legislation currently has four co-sponsors. Harris said that he hopes that even if the measure fails to gain traction this year, the debate will help advance it in the future.
In 2007 Harris’ civil union bill, called the Religious Freedom and Civil Union Act passed the House Human Services Committee but then languished until the session ended in January.
