MARYLAND: House Judiciary Committee Set To Vote On Marriage Today

UPDATE: Worryingly, the vote has been delayed.

One of two legislators who went missing Tuesday morning for a committee vote on Maryland's same-sex marriage legislation said they are withholding their votes on the bill to gain "leverage" on unrelated issues they consider equally important. Del. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore) told reporters Tuesday afternoon that she and Del. Tiffany T. Alston (D-Prince George's) are concerned about school funding for Baltimore and Prince George's County and some family law bills that have yet to move forward. "This is still very early in the session, so I think there is time to get it all done," Carter said. Colleagues had frantically tried to locate the two legislators for about half an hour Tuesday morning before calling off a scheduled vote in the House Judiciary Committee. Both Alston and Carter are co-sponsors of the House version of the same-sex marriage bill.

According to local news, GOP legislators heckled the committee's chair to call for the vote even with the bill's missing backers out of the room. The vote may still take place today so cross your fingers.

EARLIER TODAY:

The Maryland House of Delegates judiciary committee is expected to vote today on whether to pass its marriage equality bill to the full chamber. Last week anti-gay Christiantist groups launched a massive assault on the bill with robocalls and the distribution of materials from a Massachusetts-based hate group. That onslaught caused at least one Delegate to de-sponsor the bill.

TAKE ACTION: Call and email your Delegate today.