Local News

A Senate committee on Thursday approved a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington state, moving the measure one step closer to passage.

The Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee approved the measure with a 4-3 voice vote split on party lines. The bill is expected to head to a floor vote next, though a date has not yet been determined.

Several Republican amendments were rejected, including one that would have required that the measure be sent to the November ballot.

"This is a significant change in law," said Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver. "It will change our society in ways that nobody here can even foresee 30, 40, 50 years from now. Something that significant, I strongly believe, should be placed before the citizens for their approval."

Earlier this week, a previously undecided Democratic senator on Monday announced her support for the measure, all but ensuring that Washington will become the seventh state to allow gay and lesbian couples to get married.

Washington state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007, and a so-called "everything but marriage" law since 2009.

The gay marriage bills have the backing of several prominent Pacific Northwest businesses, including Microsoft Corp., NIKE Inc. and Starbucks.

Opponents of same-sex marriage have promised a referendum battle at the ballot if the Legislature passes the bill and it's signed into law.

If a marriage bill is passed during this legislative session, gay and lesbian couples will be able to get married starting in June unless opponents file a referendum to challenge it. Opponents have already said they will.

A referendum can't be filed until after the bill is passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gregoire. Opponents then must turn in 120,577 signatures by July 6.

Same-sex marriage is legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia. Lawmakers in New Jersey and Maryland are expected to debate gay marriage this year, and Maine could see a gay marriage proposal on the November ballot. On Thursday, gay rights activists there announced they had collected enough signatures to seek a referendum. The Maine Legislature previously approved gay marriage, but it was rejected by a 2009 statewide vote, 53 percent to 47 percent.