Thursday, April 26, 2007

Iowa.

Quite a day Mary ....


Iowa House approves gay rights bill; Culver guarantees signature


By CHARLOTTE EBY, Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau


DES MOINES — The Iowa House took a historic vote Wednesday to extend civil rights protections to gays and lesbians, giving approval to the measure in the waning days of this year’s session of the Iowa Legislature.

The outcome of Wednesday’s vote had been uncertain as Democratic leaders launched headlong into debate, unsure whether enough Republicans would sign on to ensure its passage.

But after a rare procedural move that required House members to stay in the chamber for the vote, 9 Republicans joined 50 Democrats to put the vote over the top on a 59-37 vote.

No one spoke in opposition of the bill during the floor debate.

Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, choked back tears of joy after seeing the civil rights legislation approved. Murphy served in the House in 1992 when the measure lost by a single vote.

No comments: