ST. PAUL, MN – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Marriage Equality Act, ensuring that same-sex couples have the freedom to marry. The historic bill passed by a vote of 75 to 59 with bipartisan support.
Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL—Austin) voted in support of the bill.
“With the House having already passed a comprehensive budget that eliminates our deficit and pays for investments in priorities like education, the time was right to give this bill a vote,” said Rep. Poppe.
“I look at this issue through an economic lens. We can’t afford to have intelligent, talented workers leaving our state because they don’t feel welcome,” added Rep. Poppe. “The bill we passed makes sure all Minnesotans are treated fairly and shown the respect and dignity they deserve. At the same time, it includes strong religious protections to respect others’ deeply held beliefs.”
The Marriage Equality Act passed the Minnesota House after a two year journey in which Minnesotans have been engaged in a conversation about marriage equality.
This bill would allow civil marriages for all Minnesotans, like the kind you get at City Hall and protect religious freedoms for congregations or clergy who do not support same-sex marriage. The religious protections in the bill are widely considered to be the strongest of any state that has legalized same-sex marriage.
The Minnesota Senate is expected to vote on marriage equality on Monday, May 13. Governor Dayton has signaled he would sign the bill into law, making Minnesota the 12th state in the country to recognize marriage equality.