Overview

The fight for marriage equality will continue in Illinois after the state’s House failed to bring legislation up for a vote last week. Plus, more surveys show support for marriage continues to climb across the country. And lawmakers introduce not one, but four different bills to legalize marriage in Michigan. We go over the differences and take a look at public opinion.

Transcript

Marriage loses in Illinois — for now. Plus, more surveys show support for marriage continues to climb across the country. And lawmakers introduce not one, but four different bills to legalize marriage in Michigan. We’ll go over the differences and take a look at public opinion.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume, and welcome to Marriage News Watch for June 3, 2013.

It was close, but Illinois just barely missed its chance to become the 13th state to legalize marriage equality. But of course, this is just a temporary setback. Polling in Illinois show that support for marriage is growing quickly. And opposition is shrinking even faster.

Meanwhile, we’ve picked up yet another major national survey that shows a majority of Americans favor the freedom to marry. This time it’s the Public Religion Research Institute, with 52% in favor and 43% opposed. This makes the 26th survey to show marriage at 50 percent or higher. It’s been three years since the opposition last polled over 50 percent.

Lawmakers have introduced four new bills to legalize marriage in Michigan. Each one tackles a different aspect of marriage. SJR W would repeal the state’s constitutional ban on marriage. SB 405 would repeal the state’s statutory ban on marriage. SB 406 would recognize gay and lesbian marriages from out of state. and SR 64 would call on the federal government to repeal DOMA. Polling looks good in Michigan, with recent surveys showing around 57% support for equality and 38% opposed.

Support for marriage in California continues to grow. It’s now at 56% in favor to 38% opposed, according to a new PPIC poll.

And marriage is now the law of the land in France. Weddings began last Wednesday across the country, the fifteenth to legalize the freedom to marry.

Could the United States be the sixteenth? The US Supreme Court rules on Prop 8 in less than one month, and they could legalize marriage equality from coast to coast.

Subscribe here on YouTube and at AFER.org for breaking news alerts on the case. You can help support the cause of equality by liking this video and sharing it with your friends.

At the American Foundation for Equal Rights, I’m Matt Baume. We’ll see you next week.