A petition demanding lawmakers take up
a bill legalizing gay marriage has surpassed 4,000 signatures.
The
“Marriage Equality for Minnesota Now!” petition includes only
two simple sentences: “Minnesota voters soundly rejected an attempt
to write a ban on same-sex marriage into the Minnesota Constitution.
It's time for marriage equality for all Minnesotans.”
In addition to rejecting the amendment,
voters on November 6 also penalized Republicans who approved placing
the question on the ballot, handing control of both chambers of
the Legislature over to Democrats for the first time in more than two
decades.
Incoming leadership, however, is
keeping the issue at arm's length.
Senator Tom Bakk, who'll lead the
Senate next year, has asked for marriage equality to be put on the
“back shelf.”
“This state has serious financial
challenges,” he
said.
Also asking for restraint is Senator
Scott Dibble, who is openly gay: “I think we need to just pause for
a second and really understand what this victory yesterday means. …
I don't know if we're going to immediately proceed to an effort to
repeal Minnesota's DOMA [Defense of Marriage Act] law, but I do know
that we are going to continue to take a look at having this
discussion.”
Governor Mark Dayton campaigned against
passage of the ban and has said he would sign a marriage equality
bill into law.
Other states where Democratic wins
appear likely to affect gay rights include Colorado,
New
Hampshire and Rhode
Island.