Minnesota Senate & House committees pass marriage equality measure

The Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee today passed legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry. The 5-3 vote came on the heels of a nearly daylong hearing. The House Civil Law Committee, which also held a hearing on the bill, passed it in an evening vote of 10 t0 7.

Watch moving testimony from Republican Rep. Lynne Osterman:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8i1wrruTU9c#!]

Marriage equality legislation was introduced late last month. This bipartisan legislation ensures that same-sex couples are treated equally under the law, and also protects important religious freedoms to ensure that no church, religious association or clergy member is ever forced to violate their deeply held religious convictions. Last week, 340 faith leaders including Task Force Faith Work Director Rev. Rebecca Voelkel sent a letter urging the Minnesota Legislature to support the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in 2013, and today some of those faith leaders testified in support of the law

The Task Force invested significantly in the work of Minnesotans United for All Families during the campaign to reject the constitutional amendment that sought to ban the freedom to marry for same-sex couples last year. Now the Task Force is invested in winning marriage equality in the state, including serving on the board of Minnesotans United for All Families since its inception, dedicating our faith organizing manager to working full time on the ground in Minnesota and organizing “Conversations with People You Know” trainings.