The Peoria Journal-Star posted an opinion piece about the bill that would legalize same-sex marriage for Illinois couples. The ACLU of Illinois is part of a coalition of organizations pushing for the bill's passage. The bill passed in the Senate Executive Committee but was unable to move to the Senate floor during this veto session.

As the bill's chief Senate sponsor, Heather Steans (D-Chicago), indicated, "This is totally a question of when we're going to do it, not if we're going to do it." Had three senators not been absent this past week, the measure may have had the 30 votes it needed in that chamber. And a new Legislature will soon be seated that has more Democrats in it - with a Democrat in the governor's office who says he'll sign this bill - with that party historically more open to same-sex unions than Republicans have been.

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An editorial piece in The Chicago Tribune examines why the same-sex marriage bill up for a vote in the Illinois General Assembly ought to be passed. The ACLU of Illinois has been working with a coalition of organizations, along with the bill's sponsors to promote marriage equality for all Illinoisans.

The most crucial gain is to afford protections to the young. Many gay couples have biological children by one partner or the other, and many others are adoptive parents. With gays as well as straights, marriage serves to promote commitment, stability and financial solvency. If same-sex couples can make the legal commitment and choose to assume all the obligations that come with matrimony, they will be more likely to stay together.

That's good for kids. It's also good for communities, since it minimizes the unwanted side effects of broken homes.

Read the whole thing.