The Delaware House is expected to
consider a gay marriage bill on Tuesday.
The measure's champion in the House,
Rep. Melanie George Smith, told gay weekly the Washington
Blade that she was certain the bill would clear the chamber.
“I'm certain that we have a majority
of Delaware representatives – so over 21 out of the 41 – that
will do the right thing and vote to support equality in Delaware,”
Smith said.
The bill, which seeks to make Delaware
the 10th state to legalize such unions, received approval
from a House panel on Wednesday. Lawmakers listened to 90 minutes of
testimony before endorsing the measure with a 4-1 vote and sending it
to the full House for further consideration.
The paper also reported on the
measure's first, and so far only, Republican co-sponsor, Rep. Mike
Ramone.
“I don't really believe we're
redefining marriage with this bill,” Ramone said. “Marriage can
still be a holy sacrament between a man and a woman. We haven't
changed that. It's just now that two men and two women get to be
able to partake in the same sacramental event in their church.”
Ramone, who voted for a civil unions
bill two years ago, said that one of his two sons is gay.