This Washington
Gregoire Signs Marriage Equality Bill
Calling it one of her "proudest moments," Gov. Chris Gregoire signed the state's marriage-equality bill into law today at noon. Washington joins six other states in allowing same-sex couples to marry.
"Today is a proud day in the history of the Legislature and the state of Washington," Gregoire said in a statement. "It is a day historians will mark as a milestone for equal rights. A day when we did what was right, we did what was just, and we did what was fair. We stood up for equality and we did it together – Republicans and Democrats, gay and straight, young and old, and a variety of religious faiths."
The bill passed the state senate on Feb. 1 and made it through the state house last week, with several Republicans crossing party lines to vote in favor of the legislation.
Opponents of marriage equality have vowed to collect signatures for a referendum to overturn the law and an initiative that would define marriage as being between one man and one woman. If backers of the referendum collect 120,000 valid signatures by June 6, the day before the law is set to go into effect, it would be put on hold until after the November election.
Challengers attempted to file a referendum at the secretary of state's office this morning, before Gregoire had even had a chance to sign the legislation, and were told to come back later in the day.
A recent poll by the University of Washington's Center for Survey Research found that 55 percent of voters said they would vote to uphold the law if it is challenged; 38 percent said they would vote to overturn it.
"Today is a proud day in the history of the Legislature and the state of Washington," Gregoire said in a statement. "It is a day historians will mark as a milestone for equal rights. A day when we did what was right, we did what was just, and we did what was fair. We stood up for equality and we did it together – Republicans and Democrats, gay and straight, young and old, and a variety of religious faiths."
The bill passed the state senate on Feb. 1 and made it through the state house last week, with several Republicans crossing party lines to vote in favor of the legislation.
Opponents of marriage equality have vowed to collect signatures for a referendum to overturn the law and an initiative that would define marriage as being between one man and one woman. If backers of the referendum collect 120,000 valid signatures by June 6, the day before the law is set to go into effect, it would be put on hold until after the November election.
Challengers attempted to file a referendum at the secretary of state's office this morning, before Gregoire had even had a chance to sign the legislation, and were told to come back later in the day.
A recent poll by the University of Washington's Center for Survey Research found that 55 percent of voters said they would vote to uphold the law if it is challenged; 38 percent said they would vote to overturn it.
