New Mexico lawmakers kill bill to legalize same-sex marriage

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An amendment to the New Mexico Constitution to allow same-sex marriage was killed in a House committee vote last week.

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Two Democrats joined with Republicans in a 7 to 4 vote, killing the bill for the remainder of the legislative session. The bill, known as House Joint Resolution 3, would have amended the state Constitution to recognize and permit gay marriage within the state borders.

New Mexico law currently does not permit or prohibit gay marriage. The state does not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The state does not specifically recognize or disavow same-sex marriages from other states.

Nine states and the District of Columbia currently permit same-sex marriage. Lawmakers in Illinois are close to passage of a bill legalizing gay marriage. Lawmakers in Texas are seeking to overturn their Constitutional ban. Residents in New Jersey and Oregon are pushing for a ballot initiative in 2014.

Gay marriage advocates expect the bill to be presented during the next legislative session.

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, Hagerstown Democrat Examiner

Shannon Vitiritti is a vocal activist for the LGBTQ community in Western Maryland. She is a veteran of the Air Force and has worked on several political campaigns. She is currently Social Media Director for Hagerstown Hopes, as well as a freelance writer.

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