Maryland same-sex marriage advocates turn sights on state legislature – just like Minnesota.

Maryland is following Minnesota’s example – legalize same-sex marriage via the legislative process.

According to yesterday’s Baltimore Sun, “In a case watched closely around the nation, the Maryland Court of Appeals' 4-3 ruling dealt a blow to gay and lesbian advocates who launched their fight to overturn the state's marriage law three years ago. Tuesday, those advocates pledged to take the battle for marriage to the General Assembly, where two lawmakers have already vowed to sponsor legislation to legalize same-sex marriage.”

This legislative approach is already underway in Minnesota. OutFront Minnesota has stated on several occasions that their efforts to legalize same-sex marriage will focus on the Minnesota State legislature.

Did you know that same-sex partnerships were almost passed in the 2007 Minnesota legislative session?

Four bills were introduced to legalize same-sex relationships. One bill attempted to establish same-sex domestic partnerships for hospital visitation. Yet our quick poll of six metro area hospitals revealed an open policy towards visitation by same-sex partners.

Do we really need to legalize same-sex partnerships to allow hospital visitations?

Thanks to a veto threat from Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the bills were never passed.

What if we didn't have a pro-family governor?

Did you know that out-of-state, anti-marriage money helped defeat Senator Mady Reiter, a co-sponsor of the Minnesota Marriage Amendment bill?

Her opponent, Senator Sandy Rummel received 44% of her itemized individual contributions from thirteen wealthy anti-marriage activists. Most of the thirteen contributors were members of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, one of the largest homosexual activist organizations in the country.

The same legislative majority (and their out-of-state money) that pushed for same-sex marriage will return with a vengeance in the 2008 session.