House committee approves gay marriage bill
Monday, January 30, 2012
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- A measure to legalize same-sex marriage has passed a House committee, and the Senate is expected to vote on its companion bill as early as Wednesday.
Sen. Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat who is sponsoring one of the bills, said Monday that he expects a floor vote on gay marriage in the Senate on Wednesday. A Senate committee voted to approve Murray's bill on Friday. The House Judiciary committee approved its gay marriage bill on Monday on a 7-6 party line vote.
Opponents of same-sex marriage have already promised a referendum battle at the ballot if the Legislature passes the bill and it's signed into law.
Washington state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007, and an "everything but marriage" expansion of the domestic partnership law since 2009.
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