Massachusetts lawmakers will again debate gay marriage in a special Constitutional Convention. Despite the fact that marriage has been legal in Massachusetts for years now, a group of tenacious anti-gay activists have been pressuring lawmakers to reverse the legislation. The debate heated up last January when politicians heeded a petition to reconsider the law, but stalled when they adjourned before a vote. Now, five months later, the politicos may again debate the tiresome issue, but will again avoid a vote. Boston’s WPRI reports:
The House and Senate convenes in constitutional convention on Beacon Hill today, but there’ll be no vote on the gay marriage amendment.
A spokeswoman for Senate President Therese Murray — who presides over the joint session of the Legislature — says Murray plans to recess the convention until sometime after the state budget is completed.
Right on. Getting an entire state’s budget together seems a bit more important than butting into a few thousand people’s personal lives.
Ryan
They didn’t stall. It was voted on and passed.
In Massachusetts, a petition has to be passed two years in a row before it reaches the ballot. If it passes again, it *will* appear on the next ballot.
We have about an 8 vote gap to kill it once and for all. If we don’t get those votes, VoteonMarriage.org will have it’s 25% of the state leg and their question on the ballot.
Furthermore, the only reason why the vote was postponed again was because of the budget debate. I have multiple sources who tell me that a vote on this in June is fairly likely, including the editor in chief of Bay Windows, MassEquality and somone I know high up in KnowThyNeighbor. However, part of the reason why there’s likely to be a vote is a lot of those people actually want to vote sooner rather than later because of several reasons, including these two: the VoM people won’t expect it and VoM’s leader is currently working for Mitt Romney’s campaign and busy. So, people feel as if this June is the best chance we’ll get.
Anyway, that’s what I’m hearing directed toward my blog from all those different sources. Hope that helps.