Delaware Moves Closer to Final Vote on Marriage Equality

Delaware has moved one important step closer to marriage equality today with approval from a Senate committee, according to The News Journal of Wilmington.

The Senate Executive Committee voted 4-2 to move the bill to the full Senate. Its 21 members could make history Tuesday.

The law has already passed the House on a 23-18 vote at the end of April. For his part, Gov. Jack Markell has said he would sign the bill into law. He's even called on the public to keep up the pressure on lawmakers to ensure it passes. "If you promise to do your part, and to ensure that a marriage equality bill reaches my desk this year, I make a promise to you, I will sign it," he said during a rally just days before the bill was introduced in the state legislature.

On Top Magazine reports that a representative from one of the state's major employers, DuPont, was at the hearing and called for the bill's passage, arguing that the state's civil unions law puts it at a disadvantage when competing for hires.

"DuPont believes our support for marriage equality represents ... our commitment to inclusion," said Timothy Koob, according to On Top.

Meanwhile, the Reverend Judy Mason recounted Bible verses and called gay people "an abomination, a perversion." She claimed the Bible calls for the death penalty, according to a transcript of audio posted by the Good as You blog. "In Romans 1:26, he says both men and women involved in homosexuality, his judgment is they are deserving of death. That breaks my heart. I don't desire that anybody die and go to hell."

Mason ended with a caution: "Remember the warning from Ezekiel, if you tell a righteous man to turn from his wicked ways and he loses righteousness I will require his blood at your hand if you don't warn him. Today consider yourselves warned."

In Rhode Island a marriage equality bill is expected to be signed by the governor Thursday, having been approved by both the House and Senate.