Delaware House Set to Vote on Civil Unions

The Delaware house is expected to vote Thursday afternoon on a measure to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples that passed the senate last week.

On Wednesday the house administration committee voted 4 to 1 to advance to the bill to the house floor. The bipartisan nod followed three hours of testimony from supporters and opponents at the state capitol building in Dover.

Advocates expressed confidence that the bill would receive the 21 votes needed to pass in the Democratic-controlled chamber. Six last-minute amendments, including one that would put the civil unions proposal to a statewide referendum before it could be implemented, have been attached for consideration.

“We’re feeling great,” said Lisa Goodman, president of Equality Delaware, which launched last year. “There at least six possible amendments that have been pre-filed. We’re confident that the legislators who support the bill will strike those down.”

Known as S.B. 30, the bill will be presented in the house by Rep. Melanie George. Sen. David Sokola sponsored the bill in the senate, where it passed last week by a vote of 13 to 6. Gov. Jack Markell has pledged to sign the bill into law.

Despite the momentum and polls showing that 62% of state voters support civil unions, Goodman told The Advocate her group is taking nothing for granted as the final vote nears. Opponents led by the Delaware Family Policy Council have mounted a robo-call campaign, and the legislative session in neighboring Maryland ended this week without a marriage equality victory. In that case, the bill passed the senate, predicted to be the more challenging chamber, only to be pulled in the house last month when votes fell short after a reenergized campaign from religious conservatives.

“I have had Maryland in the forefront of my mind since this happened,” said Goodman. “We have been redoubling our efforts. We have essentially been using ‘remember Maryland’ as our rallying cry.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign, five states currently have laws providing an expansive form of state-level relationship recognition for gay and lesbian couples without offering marriage. States offering such civil unions and domestic partnerships include California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington. Earlier this year, Hawaii and Illinois adopted civil union laws that will take effect in June for Illinois and in January 2012 for Hawaii.

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