The Daily Herald has a great play-by-play piece on yesterday's vote on the marriage bill in the Illinois House. Once the Governor signs the bill (SB 10), same-sex couples in Illinois will be able to wed beginning on June 1, 2014. The ACLU of Illinois worked as part of the Illinois Unites for Marriage campaign to help lobby and advocate for the freedom to marry, and also represents nine Illinois couples in Lazaro v. Orr, which will likely be dismissed once the bill is officially law.

The road to the Illinois vote was long with a stalled attempt earlier this year, something that frustrated activists in a state where Democrats lead the House, Senate and governor's office. Chicago Democratic Rep. Greg Harris, who is the proposal's lead sponsor, decided not to bring the bill for a vote in May because he said he simply didn't have the support.

Then the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to strike down a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, something Harris said resonated with lawmakers. Backers also launched a furious campaign, hiring a union lobbyist, the former head of the Illinois Republican Party and field organizers statewide.

Read the entire article.

The Chicago Tribune posted an article about yesterday's vote to grant the freedom to marry to same-sex Illinois couples. The ACLU of Illinois sought to win marriage equality not only in the legislature, but also in the court case of Lazaro v. Orr, in which the ACLU represented nine couples seeking to be married. The case will now become moot once the Governor signs the marriage bill into law. The Tribune spoke with our very own Communications and Policy Director Ed Yohnka:

Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said: "The truth is that this is really a victory for the thousands of couples and their families across the state of Illinois who are going to wake up and read in the paper that a majority of the leaders in this state now believe they are equal to everyone else."
Lambda Legal and the ACLU are involved in a lawsuit challenging the state's ban on same-sex marriage. If Quinn signs the same-sex marriage bill into law as expected, Yohnka said the groups would "look at not moving forward with the lawsuit at some point in time."

Read the rest.
 
 

The Chicago Sun-Times published an editorial featuring ACLU of Illinois clients Danielle Cook and Suzie Hutton, who were in Springfield yesterday when the historic vote came down in the Illinois House granting the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. Danielle and Suzie are plaintiffs in Lazaro v. Orr, which will likely be dismissed after the Governor signs the bill into law.

“We can now go back to our friends, our family and feel equal,” said Cook, 51.
And that’s all this was ever about: seeking the right to live their lives fully and to be respected in a state that scores of same-sex couples have chosen to call home.

Read the entire article.