Minnesota To Consider Gay Marriage

Next week the Minnesota legislature will consider several bills related to same-sex marriage.

The House Civil Justice Committee will be the first in Minnesota’s history to conduct a hearing on the possibility of legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. Three bills will be up for discussion on Monday, and all three are supportive of expanded relationship rights for Minnesota’s same-sex couples. The Marriage and Family Protection Act would make marriages in Minnesota gender neutral, a civil unions bill is also being proposed and another bill would recognize same-sex marriage performed in states where it is legal, such as neighboring Iowa. "The hearing will be historic because it is the first time a committee in our state Legislature will be looking at what enacting marriage equality means for Minnesota,” said OutFront Minnesota, the state’s largest LGBT equality group. The hearing will be held at 4:30pm on Monday, February 22 in State Office Building Room 10.

A local activist quoted in the above-linked article says the meetings will be mere "show hearings" designed to "shut up" the gay community and that the three bills have zero chance of advancing.