Same-sex marriage in Illinois

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Governor Rod Blagojevich has stated no opposition to same-sex marriage or civil unions. On February 22, 2007, State Representative Greg Harris introduced the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act in the Illinois State House of Representatives, which act would have provided for same-sex marriage in the state. [cite news |title= Gay Rep introduces marriage bill in Illinois| url=http://www.americansfortruth.com/news/gay-rep-introduces-counterfeit-marriage%E2%80%9D-bill-hb-1615-in-illinois.html
date=2007-02-23 |accessdate=2007-12-26] The bill died in committee. [cite web |title=House Bill 1615 - Bill Status |url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1615&GAID=9&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=30427&SessionID=51&GA=95&SpecSess=0 |accessdate=2008-02-16]

House Bill 1826 would create the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act. Under the bill, the creation, benefits, and dissolution of civil unions would be essentially identical to marriage. [cite web |title=House Bill 1826 |url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09500HB1826ham001&GA=95&SessionId=51&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=1826&GAID=9 |accessdate=2008-02-16] The bill did not pass before the regular session ended on May 30, 2008, and is not likely to pass during the fall veto session. [cite web |title=House Bill 1826 - Bill Status |url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1826&GAID=9&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=&SessionID=51&SpecSess=&Session=&GA=95 |accessdate=2008-05-24]

A nearly identical bill, Senate Bill 2436, was introduced in the state Senate by Sen. David Koehler, but died in committee. [cite web |url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=2436&GAID=9&GA=95&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=36472&SessionID=51 |title=Senate Bill 2436 - Bill Status]

References