With Gov. Martin O’Malley’s signature today, Maryland will become the nation’s eighth state to legally recognize gay marriage. The new law will go into effect January 2013.
That victory for equality could be fleeting. Anti-gay forces are already preparing to put a referendum on the November ballot. In fact, they’re ready to collect the nearly 56,000 required signatures—by focusing on those against equality on religious grounds.
Equality foes plan to collect twice as many as necessary to guarantee enough signatures are validated by the state elections board. O’Malley has pledged to campaign against repeal.
Maryland state Senate approved the measure by a 25-22 vote last Thursday. The House of Delegates approved the marriage equality bill in a 71-67 vote.
Photo: Maryland.gov
