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May 8, 2009

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 3

Maine lawmakers approve same-sex marriage bill

Augusta, Maine-After a three-hour debate, the Maine House gave final approval to a same-sex marriage bill and sent it back to the Senate on May 5, where a final vote is pending.

Representatives voted 89-58 to give the bill final approval in favor of the bill after rejecting an amendment that called for a November referendum. The bill was sent back to the Senate, which was expected to take it up when it returned on May 6.

The proposal would make Maine the fifth state to allow same-sex marriage. But it's unclear whether Gov. John Baldacci would sign the bill. Baldacci, a Democrat, remains undecided.

Four states now allow same-sex marriages: Connecticut, Massachusetts and

Iowa by court orders and Vermont through legislation. New Hampshire's legislature is actively considering a gay marriage bill.

California's Supreme Court ruled for same-sex marriages last year, but a November vote ended them. That court is now considering whether the state constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage should be allowed to stand, as well as the fate of the marriages that were performed in the five-month window between its original ruling and the amendment's passage.

-Associated Press

ANTHONY GLASSMAN

Registry

Continued from page 1

in a ten-day span last week.

According to Ask Cleveland spokesperson David Caldwell, the group will continue to identify LGBT-friendly voters whether there is a registry fight or not. The group will be hiring a field organizer to recruit more volunteers. A number of members went to Maine last month for training with Equality Maine, which is identifying voters for a possible referendum on a full marriage law the legislature is considering.

"The kind of work we do applies to legislative races as well," said Caldwell. "Even if there's no registry battle, we will work to expand protections for LGBT people in the greater Cleveland area."

Caldwell also noted that the registry could still be on the ballot in 2010.

Some of the registry opponents are using a National Day of Prayer ceremony as a rallying call which could revive their campaign. The observance is on the same day as the registry opens, and registry opponent and Ward 3 councilor Zack Reed is a sponsor of one event in city council chambers that morning.

Matthews is a speaker at the council chambers service. The American Family Foundation, which worked against the registry, is also an organizer of it.

Neither Cimperman nor Caldwell nor Doerfer believe holding a prayer event in council chambers at the same time couples are registering is a coincidence.

Cimperman said using the city council chambers for such an event is "unprecedented" and added that council president Martin Sweeney was not told by Reed that it was happening.

Round-up round

Dancers fill the floor of Grays Armory during the Rainbow Wranglers Colonel's Ball last weekend.

The May 2 ball was the center point of the Wranglers' 18th annual Round-Up, with proceeds benefiting the Cleveland LGBT Center.

In addition to dancing, there was a silent auction and a cash raffle. The evening also featured performances from country-western dance troupes, including the Wranglers' own performance group.

"We had roughly 100 people on Saturday night for the Colonel's Ball," said Rainbow Wranglers president Michael O'Connor.

That number, he said, was "down a little bit from last year."

"We were worried about attendance in light of the weak economy, so we lowered ticket prices and included parking, which seemed to help quite a bit," he continued. "The performances were great, and the auctions seemed to go really well," O'Connor noted. "Preliminary results indicate that our net donation to the Center will be down somewhat, but we're glad that the community came out to support us---and them once again, and we had a ton of fun in the process.' More information about the Rainbow Wranglers, who meet every Sunday at the Tool Shed, is available at www.rainbowwranglers.org.

""

-Anthony Glassman

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