St. Paul, MN –  On Monday, Minnesota became the twelfth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann tweeted, “I’m proud to have introduced the original traditional marriage amendment, and I thank all Minnesotans who have worked so hard on this issue,” but still has yet to officially comment on the bill’s signing at the time of print. Bachmann recently linked gay-marriage to 9/11 and in an earlier video said that America is facing a time of “spiritual warfare.” The shift in support of gay marriage is polarizing, seeing as the both of the state’s chambers were controlled by Republicans who voted to put a gay marriage ban on the ballot just two years ago.

The bill signing ceremony by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton took place at 5 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon in the state’s capitol, St. Paul. The bill won in a vote 37-30, after hours of debate. Democratic Sen. Ron Latz spoke out during the debate, telling his peers, “Members, God made gays, and God made gays capable of loving other people. So who are we to quarrel with God’s intentions?” Minnesota Sen. Vicki Jensen (D) stated, “I could never and I would never deny the kind of recognition and all the other positive things I get out of my marriage with my husband, to anyone else.” Rep. Laurie Halverson, a Democrat from a suburb outside of St. Paul, spoke of marriage equality late last week before the final vote: “There are kids being raised by grandparents, single parents, two moms or two dads. Some of those folks are my friends. And we talk about the same things as parents. We talk about large piles of laundry, and how much it hurts to step on a Lego. That’s what we do, because we’re all families.”

The state is the first state in the Midwest to legalize gay marriage by legislative vote (Iowa legalized gay marriage in 2009 through a court ruling). It’s the third state in 10 days to follow suit in the recent shift in marriage equality, following on the heels of Delaware and Rhode Island. Illinois appears to be next on the list, with a gay marriage bill that has cleared the state Senate but still awaits the House vote.

Starting August 1, couples will be able to marry freely, regardless of sexual orientation. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman had the Wabasha Street Bridge covered in rainbow-striped flags, temporarily naming it the “Freedom to Marry Bridge,” in support of marriage equality, stating it’s also “Freedom to Marry Week.”