Marriage Equality Bill Passes in Illinois

Illinois Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, left, is congratulated by lawmakers as gay marriage legislation passes on the House floor during veto session Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, in Springfield Ill. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, top center, looks on. Lawmakers voted 61-54 to send the measure back to the Senate to change the bill's effective date, just a technical change since the chamber already approved the measure in February. The measure will then head to Governor Quinn, who has pledged to sign it into the law.
Illinois Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, left, is congratulated by lawmakers as gay marriage legislation passes on the House floor during veto session Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, in Springfield Ill. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, top center, looks on. Lawmakers voted 61-54 to send the measure back to the Senate to change the bill's effective date, just a technical change since the chamber already approved the measure in February. The measure will then head to Governor Quinn, who has pledged to sign it into the law. AP Photo/Seth Perlman

On Tuesday, November 5, the Illinois House of Representatives voted in favor of Senate Bill 10 (SB10), the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, which ultimately makes Illinois the fifteenth state in the United States to pass marriage equality into law.

“Marriage equality is coming to Illinois,” Governor Quinn said about the issue. “I look forward to signing this landmark legislation on November 20 and celebrating a big step forward with the people of Illinois.”

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Photo by: AP Photo/Seth Perlman

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, left, and Illinois Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, right, look on as gay marriage legislation passes on the House floor during veto session Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 in Springfield Ill.

The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act passed in the Illinois Senate on February 14, 2013 but had not been brought to the floor of the House by its chief sponsor, Ill. Rep. Greg Harris (Dist.-13), before the House’s last session day on April 13.

Harris was visibly emotional when he decided not to bring SB10 to the Illinois House floor and faced great criticism for the decision. Yet, he stated at the time, that he wanted to give his contemporaries enough time to go home, speak with their respective constituents and raise even more support to ensure the success of SB10.

The landmark legislation required 60 votes in the House in order to carry the majority. It received 61 votes. Of the Illinois House Black Caucus, 14 members out of 20 voted in favor of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.

The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act will amend the Code of Civil Procedure and provide these provisions:

All laws of this State applicable to marriage apply equally to marriages of same-sex and different-sex couples and their children; parties to a marriage and their children, regardless of whether the marriage is of a same-sex or different-sex couple, have the same benefits, protections, and responsibilities under law.

“Today is a critical moment in history for Illinois and for the entire LGBT movement,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Finally, gays and lesbians across our state are guaranteed the fundamental right to marry, and countless couples with children will be acknowledged for what they are under the law – families just like everyone else. I commend State Representative Greg Harris for his steadfast leadership in this effort and look forward to the day where every American can enjoy the same freedom to marry the person they love, and when our country can provide equal rights to every man or woman – gay or straight.”

The Chicago Citizen Newspaper spoke with Affinity Community Services, a social justice organization that fights on the behalf of the LGBTQ community, about their role in galvanizing support toward marriage equality throughout Illinois. Affinity focuses on health and wellness, civic engagement and leadership development.

Affinity Executive Director Kim Hunt cited that Affinity sent two of its representatives to Springfield, IL to speak with Illinois representatives, issued a published public statement to raise awareness, were involved with the marriage equality march on Springfield, and organized a bus trip to Springfield for LGBTQ community members and their supporters down to Springfield to support the bill.

On SB10 passing Hunt stated, “It was exhilarating but marriage really wasn’t really the top priority for the organization. We see civil marriage as an economic justice issue and as a civil rights issue.”

Governor Quinn will have a signing ceremony at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Forum on November 20, 2013 at 3:30 p.m.

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