Supporters of same-sex marriage renewed their fight Tuesday during a rally at the Illinois Capitol.
The rally took place on the same day that Lawmakers returned to Springfield for the fall veto session. Earlier this year the Senate approved a same-sex marriage bill, but it's stuck in the House. Attorney General Lisa Madigan says lawmakers should pass it: "I think that marriage equality is just that, it is about equality, it is about fairness, it is about respect, it is about families, it is about love."
Same-sex marriage is expanding nationally - most recently in New Jersey. Wednesday, the Illinois Family Institute is planning a rally in Springfield with several other religious groups to encourage lawmakers against supporting same-sex marriage. The Institute's David Smith says he's encouraged the Democratically-controlled legislature hasn't approved the legislation, but he worries that might change: "Marriage is one man, one woman, raising the next generation of healthy productive children for the future, and you know the legislature should be promoting and encouraging that, not redefining it."
House Speaker Michael Madigan has said about a dozen votes are still needed to send the same-sex marriage bill to Governor Pat Quinn, who says he'll sign it into law.
