Other states may extend rights to gay couples

Gay wedding cake figures

Maryland's state senate is expected to begin debating the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Act on Wednesday -- it's one of several state legislative bodies across the country poised to extend rights to same sex couples.

Hawaii: Newly elected Democratic Gov. Neil Abercromie is expected to sign into law a bill allowing civil unions on Wednesday. The state's legislature has approved civil unions several times in the past only to have it vetoed by the previous Republican governor.

Rhode Island: Newly elected Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an Independent, says he will sign a same-sex marriage bill into law. Also, the Speaker of the House in RI is gay, and co-sponsored the measure. A bill has been heard in a House Judiciary Committee.

New York: Gov. Andrew Cuomo campaigned on same-sex marriage and said earlier this month he will push the New York state legislature to pass a measure. A similar bill failed last year in the senate  after passing in the state assembly. The New York Times notes that Cuomo has an uphill battle since the senate became more conservative after November's elections.

California: The state's supreme court said it will weigh-in on whether a ballot initiative that denied gay marriage should be overturned on procedural grounds. The CA court is not expected to rule until the end of the year.

Illinois: In January Illinois' governor signed into a law a civil unions bill for gay couples.

Same sex-marriage are allowed in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia.
Posted by Annie Linskey

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