Illinois State Rep. to Discuss Engagement on House Floor

Illinois state representative Deborah Mell of Chicago announced her engagement to her fiancée Christin Baker on Chicago public television Tuesday evening, and said that she would discuss the issue of same-sex marriage from a personal perspective on the state house floor Wednesday.

Mell and Baker, who have been together nearly six years, revealed details of their recent engagement to Carol Marin, host of WTTW’s Chicago Tonight.

In addition, Mell said she would use a point of personal privilege Wednesday on the state house floor in Springfield to spark conversation about marriage equality among her colleagues and the public.

“I’m going to talk about Christin, and I’m going to talk about how we have built this life together, and how just being with her has made me a better person, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and I want to get married in Illinois,” said Mell.

Mell and Baker plan to marry in nearby Iowa. Same-sex marriage legislation remains stalled in Illinois, where Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat, and his Republican challenger Sen. Bill Brady opposed marriage equality. Also opposed to marriage equality is impeached former Governor Rod Blagojevich, who is Mell’s brother-in-law.

Watch the video below.