Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is sounding
less confident in his support for a gay marriage bill.
Last week, openly gay Representatives
Greg Harris, Deb Mell and Kelly Cassidy introduced a measure that
seeks to make Illinois the eighth state to legalize gay marriage.
Quinn strongly backed efforts to
approve a civil unions bill while campaigning for reelection against
Republican State Senator Bill Brady, an opponent of government
recognition of gay unions and a supporter of an effort to define
marriage as a heterosexual union in the Illinois Constitution.
After defeating Brady, Quinn went on to
sign the civil unions bill into law.
“We believe in civil rights, and we
believe in civil unions,” Quinn said during the signing ceremony.
“We believe in liberty and justice for all.”
While campaigning for reelection, Quinn
also endorsed giving gay couples the right to marry, telling the
Daily Herald that he wouldn't “stand in the way,” if “the
voters of Illinois want to have it come to pass.”
The Associated Press
reported on Tuesday that Quinn is not sure of his support of gay
marriage.
Quinn reportedly said he wants to study
the issues surrounding marriage equality before he makes a decision.