Delaware Senator Chris Coons is backing
an effort to legalize gay marriage in Delaware.
Coons was among the 150 people who
attended a town hall style meeting on the issue organized by Equality
Delaware, the group which won passage of the state's civil unions law
in 2011. A second meeting is scheduled for Thursday night at CAMP
Rehoboth in Rehoboth Beach.
The group's president, Lisa Goodman,
earlier told The News Journal that she believes the time is
right for marriage.
“We believe 2013 is the right time
for marriage [equality] in Delaware,” she said.
Delaware is among a handful of states
expected to debate the issue this year. All of the states
considering expanding marriage rights, with the exception of
Minnesota, currently recognize gay and lesbian couples with civil
unions. Included are Illinois, Rhode Island, Hawaii and New Jersey.
Colorado is expected to approve civil unions.
Coons called the upcoming push a
“really exciting next chapter in Delaware's steady march to
equality.”
“It's time,” he
said. “It's long past time.”