From Pink News UK: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/05/13/us-state-of-minnesota-legalises-equal-marriage-as-bill-passes-in-senate/
13 May 2013
Minnesota is to become the twelfth US state to legalise equal marriage, as its Senate today voted in favour of a measure to make same-sex marriage legal.
The vote in the Senate was 37 to 30, in which the Democrats hold a 39-28 majority. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has already said he will sign the bill into law.
Those opposed to the measure said during the debate in the Senate, leading up to the bill, attempted to use the argument that religious freedom was not protected said that it would be “unbearable” for religious organisations having to make a choice, said Senator Paul Gazelka.
Responding to Mr Gazelka, fellow Republican Senator Branden Petersen said he had mis-quoted information, and that the bill, and law as it stood before it was passed, protected religious organisations.
Other members of the US Senate suggested that the religious freedom amendment would allow businesses and organisations to discriminated based on race, as well as sexual orientation.
Ron Latz, asked “aren’t we passed that [kind of discrimination], as a society?”, referring to the amendment, which was defeated before the vote.
Continue reading at: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/05/13/us-state-of-minnesota-legalises-equal-marriage-as-bill-passes-in-senate/
