Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley will
discuss plans for a gay marriage bill on Friday, the AP reported.
O'Malley will hold an afternoon press
conference to discuss how he will support proposed legislation to
make Maryland the seventh state to legalize gay marriage in the next
regular session of the General Assembly in January.
Earlier this month, proponents launched
a broader campaign ahead of next year's legislative session.
The move comes less than four months
after a marriage bill was suddenly shelved in the Maryland House
after passage in the Senate.
Proponents had called on the Democratic
governor, who supported this year's bill, to take on a more visible
role in advocating for the measure.
“I think that would really help build
our chances next session if the governor was one of the chief people
advocating for this bill vocally,” Darrell Carrington told the
Gazette.net. “That would have a huge effect on the outcome.”
In remarks last week while attending
the National Governors Association meeting in Salt Lake City,
O'Malley said he would strongly back the new push.
O'Malley is expected to announce
whether he plans to sponsor the measure.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo played a
critical role in the passage of a gay marriage bill that takes effect
in the Empire State on July 24.