House Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill

It was close but the House of Delegates voted to approve a same-sex marriage bill Friday night that was a priority for Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley.

Legislators passed the Civil Marriage Protection Act with 72 votes in favor; 67 delegates voted against the legislation.

Two lawmakers representing Elkridge were divided: Del. James Malone (D-12A) voted for the bill, while Del. Steven DeBoy (D-12A) voted against it.

Here's a roundup of how all Howard County delegates voted:

• James Malone (D-12A): For
• Steven DeBoy (D-12A): Against
• Warren Miller (R-9A): Against
• Gail Bates (R-9A): Against
• Elizabeth Bobo (D-12B): For
• Guy Guzzone (D-13): For
• Shane Pendergrass (D-13): For
• Frank Turner (D-13): For

Just two Republicans—Dels. Wade Kach and Robert Costa of Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties, respectively—voted in favor of the legislation.

As the vote tally on the roll call board showed the bill had passed, a cheer erupted from supporters on the floor.

Among them was Del. Anne Kaiser, a Montgomery County Democrat who said it was one of the happiest days of her life.

“It’s just really exciting for me, for my partner and my family, for the other members of the legislature and the people of Maryland,” said Kaiser, one of seven openly gay or lesbian members of the House.  

“One of the things I’ve been saying the last few weeks is ‘History, do you feel inevitability knocking on the door?’” she said. 

The bill will now be taken up for debate in the state Senate, which held a hearing prior to the House and has been holding the bill to see if the House would pass it.

Kaiser said she expects the Senate to pass the bill next week.

The bill's passage in the House marked a victory for Maryland's governor, who has made it one of his top priorities this session, after a similar bill died last year in the House.

On Friday evening, O'Malley issued the following statement:

“Today, the House of Delegates voted for human dignity....Clergy and faith-based leaders, community leaders, civic organizations, civil rights groups and citizens from across our state have reached the same conclusion that Americans in seven other states [and the District of Columbia] have reached—it is possible to protect individual civil marriage rights and religious freedom equally. 

“Now, as the Senate prepares to vote, all of us are needed—and we’re prepared to redouble our efforts. The common thread running through our efforts together in Maryland is the thread of human dignity—the dignity of work, the dignity of faith, the dignity of family, the dignity of every individual. Love is an unalienable right.”

Del. Mary Washington, a Democrat who represents North Baltimore, was elated by the final vote but also had concerns about the bill's future.

She said that amendments to the bill—including provisions that it cannot go into effect if there is pending litigation against it or if a judge decides any part of it is illegal—gave her some reason for concern. But she added that she just wanted to enjoy the night’s victory.  

“For tonight we have established that it is the intent of this legislature to have marriage equality in the state of Maryland and that cannot be changed,” said Washington, who is a lesbian. “I’m just very grateful to all the delegates who looked deep into their hearts and looked to their responsibilities as legislators and came out on the side of equality."

Editor's note: This article was updated to include additional reporting at 10:15 p.m. on Feb. 17. Of note, the total tally was originally reported as 71 votes in favor because a technical glitch locked out Del. John Bohanon’s (D-29) vote in favor of the bill.