Same-Sex Marriage Debate Loses Heat in Baltimore

Gay marriage isn’t as controversial as it used to be in Charm City.

On Wednesday night, a Baltimore City Council resolution asking the city’s delegation to the Maryland General Assembly to support same-sex marriage legislation passed the Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee with no opposition and only a handful of people present to support the bill. 

That’s in stark contrast to what occurred in 2008 when Councilman Bill Henry submitted a similar resolution. During a hearing for that bill, opponents spoke against the legislation and sent several emails and letters that Councilman James Kraft, the committee chair, had to read into the record.

“It shows in the last couple of years that the issue has become less controversial—at least in Baltimore,” Henry said.  

Henry said he thinks the lack of opposition to the resolution also shows that opponents of same-sex marriage are focusing their efforts at the state level because they recognize this may be their last chance to stop it from becoming state law.

Gov. Martin O’Malley has said that he allowing for same-sex marriage, and bills creating civil marriage between homosexual couples are expected to be hotly debated during the 2012 General Assembly session.

In 2011, same-sex marriage legislation failed when the House of Delegates did not vote on the bill and instead sent it back to the House Judiciary Committee.

“I think we’re just seeing that this is an idea that’s time has come,” Henry said.  

Henry said this is one of the few issues he has dealt with where there isn’t a gray area and where both sides have some valid arguments.

But ultimately, he called civil marriage a civil rights issue. 

“Sometimes one side is just wrong,” Henry said.

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The council passed the resolution sponsored by Henry in 2008, but only after it became apparent the state legislature would not approve legislation allowing civil marriage for gays and lesbians.

This time, the resolution, which is sponsored by Kraft, is on track to be passed by the council before the General Assembly decides on gay marriage bills.

Committee members Henry, Kraft, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke and Councilman Robert Curran all voted to move the legislation forward. The city’s resolution supporting gay marriage is scheduled to go before the full City Council on Jan. 23.

The resolution is expected to pass as it has 10 co-sponsors out of 14 council members, and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has spoken out in favor of same-sex civil marriage. Neither Councilwoman Rochelle “Rikki” Spector nor Councilman Carl Stokes, who represent parts of North Baltimore, are listed as sponsors. Councilman Warren Branch and Councilwoman Helen Holton also are not sponsors.