Does Minnesota have the Votes for Marriage Equality?

Senator Scott Dibble said this week he will introduce a marriage equality bill. He is an openly gay member and he has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2003. Karen Clark is expected to introduce a similar bill in the Minnesota House she has served since 1981.

Marriage Equality legislation has been introduced a number of times in the state such bills never came up for an official vote. However, Domestic Partnership came up for a vote and it was known as The Final Wishes Bill called SB341 that measure passed the Senate and the House the Governor at the time Tim Pawlenty vetoed that legislation.

Today efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in the state got a boost. Republican Senator Branden Peterson said he would consider supporting a marriage equality bill if it had the correct language to his liking. Senator Scott Dibble and him are expected to talk about it in the next couple of days.

A vote is expected to very close in the house and much closer in the Senate. Already 2 democrats said that they will not supporting such a bill in the Senate. A couple of other Democrats are questionable about the bills because a majority of their constituents voted for the marriage amendment. Democrats hold a majority in both chambers. Having Republicans support and endorse the measure would easily boost its chances of passage this year. Current Democratic Governor Mark Dayton said he would sign a marriage bill if it came to his desk he called for it in his state of the state address a couple of weeks ago.

In May of 2011 when Republicans took control of the chambers they passed a marriage amendment and send it to the votes. Amendment 1 failed in November of 2012.

GOP Minnesota legislator preparing to co-sponsor gay marriage bill | StarTribune.com