Minnesota state Senator John Marty and
Rep. Alice Hausman plan to introduce a gay marriage bill on the first
day the Legislature convenes: Tuesday, January 8.
The two Democrats are moving forward
with legislation after voters in Minnesota became the first in the
nation on November 6 to reject a proposed constitutional amendment
banning such unions.
Minnesotans United for All Families,
the coalition of groups which worked to defeat the ban, will
transform into a lobbying group to support passage of the bill.
“Minnesotans were asked whether we
should limit the freedom to marry in the last campaign, and they
resoundingly said no,” the group's leader, Richard Carlbom, told
the Pioneer
Press on Thursday. “We believe it's time to move forward
from that.”
The group which worked to approve the
ban, Minnesota for Marriage, on Thursday sent out a fundraising
appeal to supporters.
“Yes, we lost the battle, but the
fight to preserve marriage is not over,” Minnesota for Marriage
Chairman John Helmberger wrote.
Helmberger noted in his letter that
even while Democrats regained control of the Legislature, voters in
75 of the state's 87 counties approved the amendment.