Thursday, May 16, 2013
Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature Tuesday didn’t end the heated debate around same-sex marriage.
Whatever side of the debate you fall on, there’s no denying that this week’s passage of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage was a historical moment. Minnesota became just the 12th state to sanction gay marriage when Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill Tuesday. Patch readers quickly wrote in to share their thoughts on the moment. Eagan Patch reader Kathi Malone echoed the view of legislators who voted yes in seeing same-sex marriage as a civil right: I am so happy that finally gay people will be able to have the civil right to marry. This is truly an American vote for freedom. I applaud Sen Clausen and all other legislators who voted for this historical bill. James N added: Thank you Senator Carlson and the entire MN legislature for extending …
State Rep. Karen Clark told the Associated Press about recruiting Dibble to work for her. Together they shepherded their marriage-equality bill through the Minnesota Legislature.
The Associated Press describes the backgrounds of two south Minneapolis legislators—state Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) and state Rep. Karen Clark (DFL-Minneapolis)—to make gay marriage legal in Minnesota: Dibble, 47, graduated from high school in the Minneapolis suburb of Apple Valley and came out in college. He cut his teeth politically in the late 1980s as a member of the Minnesota chapter of ACT UP—a gay civil rights group that engaged in civil disobedience out of anger toward government neglect of AIDS and HIV sufferers. He got an early chance to join the establishment from Clark, who tapped him to run one of her re-election campaigns. "I pulled him from street politics," she said. Dibble was elected to the House in 2000, and in…
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The new law's supporters and opponents traded claims and denials of bigotry.
When—if ever—is it fair to call another person a bigot? Leave your comment below. A flashpoint in the debate over Minnesota's new marriage-equality law was the use of the words "bigot," "bigoted," or "bigotry" in reference to opponents of making same-sex marriages legal. After the state Legislature approved the bill, the group Minnesota for Marriage said in a statement: Over one million Minnesotans will be forced to either affirm what they believe to be false or subject themselves to prosecution and insult as “bigots” ... under our law with the passage of this bill. 'You're a Bigot' On Monday at the state Senate, Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) took exception to accusations that opponents of the same-sex marriage bill are bigots. Sen. Dan…
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Legislation to allow gay marriage in the state cleared its final hurdle Monday, May 13. With Gov. Mark Dayton expected to sign the bill as soon as tomorrow, Minnesota will become the 12th state in the country to allow same-sex couples to marry.
The Minnesota Senate approved H.F. 1054 Monday, May 13, clearing the way for Minnesota same-sex couples to marry in the state. The 37 to 30 vote, which was seen as the last hurdle for the legislation, makes Minnesota the 12th in the United States to recognize same-sex marriages in state law. Gov. Mark Dayton's office announced a signing ceremony set for 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 14. Democrats, known locally as the DFL party, hold a 39-28 advantage in the Minnesota Senate. Debate began shortly after noon Monday, with the Republican Party introducing a pair of amendments to the bill, both of which were voted down by state Democrats, who control the Senate. It quickly moved to speeches invoking personal feelings and relationships surrounding the…
Monday, May 13, 2013
The Senate approved the bill in a 37-30 vote Monday afternoon. The governor is scheduled to sign it into law at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
On the heels of the Minnesota House's approval last Thursday, the Senate also approved a bill that would allow same-sex couples to marry Monday. Watch the debate in the video window above or at The UpTake. Related at Southwest Minneapolis Patch:
Friday, May 10, 2013
The next step is for the MN Senate to vote on the bill that State Sen. Scott Dibble, who represents Southwest Minneapolis, co-authored.
State Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) saluted the Minnesota House of Representatives' passage Thursday of same-sex marriage legislation. The Minnesota Senate will take up its version of the bill, introduced by Dibble, on Monday. Dibble said in a statement Thursday: "Today's historic vote by the Minnesota House of Representatives is a very large step toward the freedom to marry for Minnesotans. We have cleared one of the final obstacles on our journey toward greater equality. "We have arrived at this moment because regular, hard working people across the state have shown the courage to live with dignity, step forward and tell their stories, talk to their neighbors, and stand up for equality. We have engaged in a statewide conversation …
The bill now moves on to the state senate as Minnesota Democrats hope to make the state the 12th in the nation to legalize gay marriage. Gov. Mark Dayton has vocally supported the legislation.
UPDATE: Minnesota Representatives approved with a 75-59 vote Thursday a bill legalizing same-sex marriages in the state, putting it on the road to become the 12th state in the nation to do so. The vote came at about 3 p.m. Thursday, May 9, about three hours after the bill was introduced. This is about honoring difference," bill sponsor Karen Clark said. "I respect the other point of view. But there is something about being able to marry the love of your life." Clark, a Democrat from Minneapolis, recognized her partner of 26 years in the assembly's audience. The vote came nearly six months to the day after a 2012 vote on a Republican-sponsored amendment item defining marriage as a union between man and woman. That, of course, was …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Minnesota House of Representatives passed the bill 75-59 on Thursday, May 9, 2013.
Watch a replay of the Minnesota House of Representatives debate and vote on a bill to make same-sex marriage legal on Thursday, May 9, 2013. The bill passed after three hours of debate by a vote of 75-59. The YouTube above has all the action from the House floor via The UpTake. Do you want to urge your fellow Patch readers to support one side or the other of this issue? Write up your take on this in our Local Voices section! Email your editor for how to get started (look for their email address in the top-right corner of this page).
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The bill is poised to move to the floors of the Minnesota House and Senate.
Update: The same-sex marriage bill passed the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee on a voice vote just after noon on Tuesday. Check above for a replay video. The Minnesota House of Representatives will vote on the bill on Thursday. Original post: Watch a video livestream of the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee Tuesday as the committee debates and votes on a bill that would make same-sex marriages legal in Minnesota. It is the up fourth item on the committee's Tuesday morning agenda. The video in the window above (or at The Uptake) will show first the Minnesota Senate Education Committee discussion of another bill addressing the problem of bullying.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Proposed legislation would ban school boards from dropping coaches' contracts 'solely' because of parent gripes.
Do high school coaches need a law to shield their jobs from parent complaints? Leave your comment below. A Minnesota Legislature conference committee is weighing whether to include this sentence in its omnibus policy and finance bill: "The existence of parent complaints must not be the sole reason for a board to not renew a coaching contract." The legislation is in response to increasing non-renewals of coaches' contracts, with as many as 35 percent in one sport (boys' hockey) involving parent complaints, according to a Star Tribune report: “This just came out from athletics directors and coaches who thought something more needed to be done,” said Rep. Dean Urdahl, a Grove City Republican who co-authored the bill. “The problem is … parents…
Mike B.
9:58 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Jimmy, but even at that, "Susan" could be a ruse. "M. Hinden, M.Savich, and Susan" could very well all be the same person posting liberal/leftist talking points. All it would take for them is three different email addresses. "Susan" is the alter-ego, but could be nefarious just the same. more ›