Illinois Rep. Greg Harris, the
Democratic House sponsor of a proposed gay marriage law, says the
state is on a “fast track” to becoming the 10th U.S.
state to legalize such unions.
Harris and Senator Heather Steans, a
Democrat from Chicago, last week introduced versions of their bills
in their respective chambers. The move came just days after Steans
suddenly called off a vote during the Senate's 2-day lame-duck
session due to the absence of 3 supporters.
“We are on a fast track to passing
marriage equality in the state of Illinois,” Harris told CBS
Chicago.
“The people of America are ahead of
us,” he said. “They are doing the right thing. They believe the
right thing. The journey [from civil unions approved 2 years ago] is
short, because people want it to be short. The journey to full
marriage is not going to be as long as we thought, because folks have
talked to their neighbors, they've talked to their clergy people;
they've decided treating every couple equally in the eyes of the law
is the right thing to do.”