UPDATE: The resolution supporting same-sex marriage was approved by the Edmonds City Council on Tuesday by a 4-0 vote. Choosing not to vote were members Lora Petso, Joan Bloom and Frank Yamamoto. Also abstaining was Mayor Dave Earling. According to My Edmonds News, the four abstentions centered on objections that the Council should not be involved in state matters.
Mayor Dave Earling and the seven-member Edmonds City Council had a timely topic on their agenda Tuesday night: gay marriage.
A resolution in support of marriage equality and adding marriage equality to the 2012 legislative agenda is in front of the mayor and councilmembers.
The Washington State Legislature is currently considering Senate Bill 6239 and House Bill 2516, more commonly referred to as marriage equality.
Earlier today during talks in the Legislature, Democratic Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island said that she will support the measure, becoming the 25th vote needed to pass the bill out of the Senate.
The state House already has enough lawmakers in support of the measure to approve it. Gov. Gregoire also supports the measure.
Washington state has had a domestic partnership law since 2007 and an "everything but marriage" law since 2009, according to The Associated Press.
Opponents of same-sex marriage have said that if the bill passes they will put the issue before voters on a ballot initiative in November.
The Herald of Everett reported that Joseph Backholm of the Family Policy Institute, which has offices in Lynnwood and Spokane, said he will take the issue to the voters if the Legislature and Gregoire make gay marriage legal in the state.
"Basically they're saying, 'Our love is the same as your love and so we're entitled to marriage,' " he told the newspaper. "Is this really a principle we want to build on?"
