A bill that would bring equal marriage to Illinois has been granted an extension through summer's end after the House spring session ended without a vote.
[Also see Legislature adjourns without marriage vote, with video features, here: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/UPDATE-Legislature-adjourns-without-marriage-vote-video-features-below/43047.html . ]
The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act could see a vote through Aug. 31, after House Speaker Michael Madigan extended the deadline originally set for May 31.
Sponsors initially had until May 31 to call for a vote on the bill, but the measure fell short of votes and chief sponsor Greg Harris declined to call it. Harris said that lawmakers had promised to return to their districts and consider a "yes" vote during the November veto session.
The extension on the bill could offer a small opportunity for passage this summer if the House is called back into session to deal with pension reform.
In that case, however, the bill would need to be amended to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2014, instead of 30 days after it is signed into law. The amendment would need Senate approval as well, another hurdle as the Senate would also need to be called back to Springfield.
If lawmakers want to skirt those requirements, the bill would need House passage by a 3/5 majority, an unlikely possibility as the bill was short of the majority votes it needed to pass in May.
See: www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp .
See related coverage here: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/UPDATE-Legislature-adjourns-without-marriage-vote-video-features-below/43047.html .