MN GOP Rep May Sponsor Marriage Bill

It looks like Minnesota GOP state Sen. Brenden Petersen is going to co-sponsor the marriage equality bill.

“At this point, I am concerned about doing the right thing,” said Petersen, an Andover resident who is married and has two young children. “I have a certain amount of peace about that, and I will let the chips fall where they may.” Petersen was among a majority of Republican legislators who put a state constitutional amendment on the November 2012 ballot asking voters to add language banning same-sex marriage. Minnesota became the first state to defeat such an amendment after 30 others had passed similar measures; that result gave opponents what they say is significant momentum to return and try to erase the state’s long-standing law against same-sex marriage. With passage far from certain, the fight is shaping up to be among the most divisive at the Capitol this year.

Democrats only hold a slim majority in the legislature and several are on the record as opposing the bill.  Openly gay Sen. Scott Dibble, the bill's main sponsor, says he's willing to agree to the "religious protections" that Petersen wants. (Tipped by JMG reader Jim)