By Rory Barbarossa & Bob Kecskemety

Photo: L-R:  Senator Ed Murray (D), Governor Christine Gregoire (D), and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D) All Support Same-Sex Marriage Legislation for Washington.

OLYMPIA, WA Last week, the state’s top lawmakers were divided over what priority to give the same-sex marriage debate at a time Washington is facing a budget crisis. Republican leaders threatened to bring budget talks to a standstill if Democrats insist on making a stand on “social issues.”

State Senate Republican Leader Mike Hewitt told the annual Associated Press Legislative Preview on Jan. 5 that the legislature’s time would be best occupied with matters other than same-sex marriage. “This is not the session for social reforms,” Hewitt told reporters. “The last thing we need to do is be down here in turmoil over social issues.”

Hewitt also took a swipe at fellow Washington state lawmaker Ed Murray, who is gay and a leading supporter of gay marriage legislation. Hewitt accused him of being too close to the issue to be objective, saying that Murray, a Democrat, is “vested in this personally.”

Murray shot back at the Republican leader: “We’re more than one-issue members,” adding, “I’m a little surprised he’s questioning my ability.”
State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, accused the Republican minority of trying to run down the clock on an issue whose time has come. “This is the right time to move forward with marriage equality,” she said.

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire echoed Brown’s remarks, noting that the long-view of history.

“To those who say we don’t have the time, what will history say when we say, ’Sorry, we had a budget to pass, so we continued to discriminate.’ That answer does not work,” Brown said. “This is our test. This is what leadership is about. Now is our time.”

Gregoire announced last week that she will introduce legislation that would allow same-sex marriages in Washington state. The announcement represents a change for Gregoire. While she has supported gay and lesbian partners having the same rights that straight married couples enjoy, she has never specifically endorsed same-sex marriage publicly.

Currently, same-sex marriage is legal in six states: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont and the District of Columbia. Nine states, including California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington, provide same-sex couples with access to the state level benefits and responsibilities of marriage, through either civil unions or domestic partnerships.