As Cook County, Illinois' largest
county, began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples,
one Republican is looking to repeal the state's gay marriage law.
The law, approved by lawmakers last
year, was scheduled to take effect on June 1. But a federal judge in
Cook County ruled Friday that there was no need to wait.
(Related: Cook
County, Illinois begins issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.)
State Senator Kyle McCarter, a
Republican from Lebanon, has introduced a bill (SB 2637) aimed at
repealing the law. The Illinois Senate Executive Committee will
consider the bill at its next meeting, Wednesday at 1PM.
A second bill, submitted by Rep. Josh
Harms, also a Republican, seeks to expand on the exemptions already
included in the law.
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality
Illinois, reacted to the bills in a statement.
“Having lost the war, opponents to
the freedom to marry now want to refight the battles and turn back
the march of history and the progress of the state of Illinois,”
Cherkasov said. “These bills demonstrate that marriage opponents
are not giving up and they're not closing up shop in Illinois. We
know from every other important social progress in our nation that
the opponents do not just walk away. That is why we cannot rest on
our laurels and must continue to be vigilant, to fight, to educate,
and to vote.”