Second Republican State Senator, Cheryl Pflug, Signs on to Washington’s Marriage Equality Bill

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http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/2012/01/10/second-republican-state-senator-cheryl-pflug-signs-on-to-washingtons-marriage-equality-bill/

Senator Cheryl Pflug (R-Maple Valley) announced today her support for marriage equality.

I have been a longtime supporter of human equality. I do not feel diminished by having another human being experience the same freedom I am entitled to exercise. I would feel diminished by denying another human the ability to exercise those same rights and freedoms.

Sen. Pflug joins her Republican colleague Sen. Steve Litzow, who announced his support for marriage equality two days ago.

In 2009 Sen. Pflug voted for the Domestic Partnership Expansion Bill (SB 5688). During the last legislative session she voted for every key piece of pro-LGBT legislation, including a bill that put gay and lesbian parents on the same legal footing as straight parents (HB 1267); a bill that provides for the automatic recognition of married same-sex couples from out of state as domestic partners when they are in Washington state (HB 1649); and the safe schools bill (HB 1163).

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1. Tacoma City Council Unanimously Endorses Washington’s Marriage Equality Bill

http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/2012/01/11/tacoma-city-council-unanimously-endorses-washingtons-marriage-equality-bill/

With an 8-0 vote the City of Tacoma on Tuesday became the first Washington municipality to officially endorse the passage of a marriage equality law by the state legislature this session. Tacoma is the third-largest city in Washington and the second-largest in the populous Puget Sound region.

The King County Council passed a similar motion on Monday with strong bipartisan support.

The endorsement came in the form of an amendment to the City of Tacoma’s Legislative Agenda, which is how the city communicates its priorities to the state legislature. The amendment was introduced by Councilmember Ryan Mello, who earlier in the evening began a new 4-year term on the council be being sworn in by his partner, Maj. Jerry Hallman, U.S. Army Reserve. The amendment reads:

'The City supports legislation which will provide marriage equality in Washington. The voters of Tacoma have repeatedly made clear their support for ending discrimination based on sexual orientation. The state has made significant progress on this issue and providing full marriage equality is the next important step.'