General Assembly: Gay Marriage Bill Draws Local Support

(Updated Jan. 31) A political debate is flaring over whether gay and lesbian couples should have the right to wed, and local lawmakers are taking sides.

The General Assembly is considering the Civil Marriage Protection Act (Senate Bill 241), a reworked version of a bill that passed the Senate but failed to push through the House of Delegates during last year’s session. 

Local sponsors of the bill include Sen. Robert Garagiola (D-Dist. 15, Montgomery County), who is from Germantown, and Sen. Nancy J. King (D-Dist. 39, Montgomery County), whose district includes parts of Germantown.

The bill is scheduled for a Senate hearing 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Though he was not one of the speakers, Metro Weekly reported, Garagiola attended a forum in Frederick, Md., on Sunday in support of the gay marriage bill and was apparently tweeting.

John Delaney, a Democrat who's running against Garagiola in the U.S. Congressional race, also attended the event, a spokesman for his campaign said.

The forum, referred to as the Congregations United for Marriage Equality, drew backing from churches and the Central Maryland chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Persons (PFLAG).  Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler and state Sen. Ronald N. Young (D-Dist. 3, Frederick and Washington counties) and Del. Galen R. Claggett (D-Dist. 3A, Frederick County) addressed nearly 200 people packed inside a Frederick church, The Frederick News-Post reported Monday.

Meanwhile, opponents of gay marriage planned a protest in Annapolis on Monday night. Mary Ellen Russell, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, one of the groups to promote the rally, said in an online statement that the same-sex marriage bill’s exemptions for religious organizations were “ambiguous” and that the exemptions:

“… by no means cover the host of circumstances that would create a conflict between the government and faith institutions if marriage is redefined. Moreover, the exemptions do nothing to address religious liberties for the average citizen.”

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley recently came under scrutiny after his wife referred to gay marriage opponents as “cowards” during a welcome speech Thursday during the 24th annual National Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Bisexual Equality.  First Lady Catherine “Katie” Curran O’Malley reportedly told The Washington Post that she regretted her choice of words.