Minnesota Says “Yah, Sure! You Betcha!”

Jim Burroway

May 13th, 2013

In anticipation of today’s Senate vote, St. Paul Mayor Chris Colman temporarily renamed the Wabash Street Bridge “Freedom to Marry Bridge” for this week, and ordered it decorated with Rainbow flags.

The Minnesota Senate approved HF1054, the marriage equality bill, in a 37-30 vote this afternoon. One Republican — Branden Petersen (Andover) — voted for marriage equality. He was one of the bill’s co-sponsorsin the Senate, and the first Republican legislator to voice his support for the bill despite his district voting to approve the failed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in 2012. Three DFLers — LeRoy Stumpf (Plummer), Lyle Koenenb (Clara City), Dan Sparks (Austin) — cast their lot on the wrong side of history. The final vote came after the Senate blocked a proposed amendment which would have eviscerated the state’s anti-discrimination laws. That amendment went down in a 25-42 vote.

Gov. Mark Dayton has announced that he will sign the bill during a ceremony tomorrow afternoon. When the bill goes into effect August 1, Minnesota will become the twelfth state, in addition to the District of COlumbia, to provide marriage equality for same-sex couples. It will also be the first Midwestern state to do so solely on a legislative action without a precipitating court order.

MattNYC

May 13th, 2013

Bachmann: “I don’t know what it will be, Bruce,” she said, “it could be an earthquake. It could be a volcano. It could be some sort of flesh eating virus. All I know is that God does not let homosexuality go unpunished, and Minneapolis is next in line for his wrath.

A volcano???? Seriously do these people truly not understand science (rhetorical question, obviously)?

Wonder if Marcus will stay behind and marry for love this time…

Bose in St. Peter MN

May 13th, 2013

It really struck me, listening to most of the GOP senators who spoke, that they seem to believe a MN florist could operate on a “Catholic weddings only” basis (and of course those senators would be fine with that).

MN amended its human rights non-discrimination law two decades ago to include sexual orientation, so anybody who has a problem with that has had 20 years to raise a ruckus.

The GOP amendment attempting to eviscerate the human rights act included a poison pill, as pointed out by equality sponsor Dibble: It closed with a inseverability clause mandating that if any portion of the marriage bill (including, had it been adopted, the amendment) was found unconstitutional, the entire marriage equality bill would have to be rescinded.

MattNYC

May 13th, 2013

Mea culpa: I didn’t see that was from the Daily Currant (an Onion-like satire site). But still funny :)

Lord_Byron

May 13th, 2013

How long did Bachmann’s head explodes?

Soren456

May 14th, 2013

If a Minnesotan married a Palestinian, what would they name the baby?

Yassir Youbetcha.

(Thanks to Prairie Home Companion.)

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