Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has signaled that he is ready to go forward with civil unions legislation. The Chicago Democrat, who recently narrowly won re-election with a substantial GOTV by gay activists over ultra-conservative and anti-gay Republican Sen. Bill Brady, says the long dormant legislation could be considered as soon as Tuesday when lawmakers return to Springfield for their fall veto session, reports The Chicao Tribune.
One piece of legislation Quinn hopes lawmakers will tackle during the upcoming session is Democratic state Rep. Greg Harris' bill allowing civil unions. Quinn called it a "good" bill and said Harris was close to having enough support to pass it. "To have a strong economy you embrace diversity," Quinn said. Brady had vowed during the campaign to veto civil unions legislation if he was elected governor. Quinn said it sends a message to companies when Illinois has laws that respect the diversity of the state.
Harris of Chicago, who was still counting votes to see if enough support was there, said Quinn's win will help and lawmakers who may still be on the fence can also look to the victory of Republican U.S. Senator-elect Mark Kirk, who also supports civil unions. "People sense there is really movement for this. This is not gay marriage," Harris said.
The Tribune also published an editorial yesterday, pushing Quinn and the General Assembly to approve civil unions as "right in line with voters' evolving sensibilities."
HB 2234 was approved by the House Youth and Family Committee by a vote of 5-4 in March 2009. Before the bill passed committee, The Advocate reported Senior White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett lobbied black state lawmakers "who were on the fence about backing the legislation" and several changed their minds.
Unlike most other states, Illinois has a statute, but not a constitutional amendment, prohibiting same-sex marriage. Most of the state's leading Democrats and many moderate Republicans have resisted calls for a marriage amendment.
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