A gay marriage bill in Delaware will
face its final legislative hurdle Tuesday in the state Senate.
While Democrats control the Senate by
nearly a 2-1 margin, several vote counts put supporters 2 votes shy
of passage.
Several senators, however, remain
undecided.
The measure cleared the House last
month and Democratic Governor Jack Markell has pledged to sign the
bill into law, which would make Delaware the 11th state to
legalize gay nuptials.
If the measure is approved, the state
would discontinue civil unions after July 1, and existing civil
unions would be upgraded to full marriage.
A campaign by Equality Delaware, the
state's largest group lobbying for passage, titled “The Face of
this Debate” takes a closer look at the people who will be impacted
by the proposed legislation.
One person highlighted is Pat, a
practicing Catholic who testified before lawmakers on behalf of her
son Dan.
“I am passionate that my son be able
to marry the man he loves,” Pat said. “My belief is rooted in a
deep moral conviction that all love is a gift from God. As a
practicing Catholic, I am committed to studying the Bible and working
for justice in our world. Where basic human rights are denied, we as
Catholics are called to stand up for those affected. What right is
more basic than to be able to marry the person you love?”
Delaware's vote comes less than a week
after Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed a similar bill into
law.
(Related: Rhode
Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signs gay marriage bill.)