Holdouts Ready To Vote On Same-Sex Marriage

Two delegates had held up key House committee vote

A day after skipping a committee vote on same-sex marriage, two delegates said Wednesday that they are prepared to register their positions on the issue. But the House Judiciary Committee had no immediate plans to schedule a new vote.

Dels. Jill Carter and Tiffany Alston — two sponsors of the House bill — threw a wrench into what was to have been a majority vote on the committee to send the divisive issue to the full House of Delegates. The civil marriage proposal won Senate approval last week.

The two are critical votes: The marriage bill needs 12 votes to clear the committee, and exactly 12 delegates have signaled their support by co-sponsoring the legislation. If they approve the legislation, it would go to the entire 141-member chamber, where House leaders were anticipating a rocky floor debate.

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