Thursday, House Meets 10:00; Senate 11:00

No session Wednesday.

House And Senate Meet Noon Today

Visited Rep. Jaros' office this morning. The bill was not dropped in last Wednesday. I spoke with Senator Marty and Rep. Jaros later and the drop-in target agreed to is this Thursday which would mean a Monday introduction in both houses of the Legislature.

Time to go protest.

House Marriage Bill May Be In The Hopper

Wednesday afternoon I got a voicemail from Rep. Jaros' assistant stating that they would make the line-up changes on the bill and "drop it in the hopper." The "hopper", as I understand it, is slang for the process of assigning the bill a number making it ready to be introduced in the next floor session. I haven't been able to reach anyone at the Capitol to confirm the drop since everyone's out for the holliday but if it was dropped in Wednesday, it will be introduced in the House on Tuesday, March 25.

Change In Marriage Bill's Line-up

Rep. Mike Jaros, citing health concerns, has passed the chief authorship of the marriage bill to Rep. Phyllis Kahn, but he will stay on the bill as a co-author. It is because of Rep. Jaros' initiative in offering to carry this bill in the first place, without a moment's hesitation, and his guidance in procuring the documents that this bill was launched on its way to being introduced in the Legislature. Thank you, Mike.

Thank you to Rep. Kahn for taking the reigns.

Wednesday LIVE From The Capitol

Just finished up in front of the Senate with the "GAY FAMILIES DESERVE AND DEMAND EQUALITY" shower curtain. Some people thought it was a new one.

There were several school groups passing through this morning. In one group that passed in front of me on the Senate stairs, a girl quickly took out a sign she had made on 81/2 x 11 inch notebook paper. It had a big rainbow and bold lettering that read, "When Can We Get Married?. She was holding another girl's hand. This young girl had made a Marriage Equality protest sign in anticipation of her school's field trip to the Capitol so she could make an appeal to lawmakers for equality for her and her apparent partner. Wow! I asked her, as she continued walking and holding up her sign, if she'd made that sign to display here today and she nodded, shyly, without looking up. I told her, "GOOD FOR YOU! Good good!" It's the most touching thing I've ever seen here.

Marriage Bill Ready To Be Dropped In

Today I finished collecting a full slate of co-authors for both the House and Senate bills. The "Marriage And Family Protection Act" is carried in the House of Representatives by Representative, Mike Jaros and co-authored by Representatives, Phyllis Kahn, Karen Clark, Cy Thao and Alice Hausman. The Senate bill is carried by Senator, John Marty and co-authored by Senators, Patrcia Torres Ray, Linda Higgins, Sandra Pappas and Mee Moua. I returned the bill to Senator Marty's office this morning after getting the last signature. Tomorrow, I'll get the House bill back to Rep. Jaros. It should be dropped in next week. Thank you to all those who have signed on to the bill.

It's in the hands of the authors now. They will move quickly to introduce it and I will urge them to move its passage from the floor. I believe it will pass the legislature because there are so many lawmakers that have expressed their support to me during my years of daily protesting for marriage equality inside the Capitol.

The Senate meets tomorrow at 10:30; House at Noon. I'll be there doing the usual thing.

Tuesday Senate Meets 11:00; House 12:00

Unfurling at 10:30 and 11:30.

Rep. Cy Thao signed on today. Hoping the bill will go in this week, but it's a short week.

Monday Live At The Capitol

Spent the morning tracking down co-authors without much luck. Everybody's coming in late because it's Monday...and snowing. Protested at the Senate at 10:30 and got interviewed by Cable 12. The House is next. Been using "LET ME MARRY MY PARTNER OF 17 YEARS" lately. It's the best message for the bill effort. Well, it's off to the House!

Monday, Senate Meets 11:00; House 12:30

Unfurling 10:30 and Noon.

Marriage Bill On Track

I got the jacketed bill from Senator Marty's office on Thursday and immediately began seeking co-authors and sponsors. So far I have three signers beyond the chief authors. Reps. Phyllis Kahn and Karen Clark are signed on and Senator Patricia Torres Ray, as well. Reps. Jim Davnie and Michael Paymar refused. Senator Terri Bonoff refused but said she would vote for it. I'll be back at it, Monday.

Aiming For Next Week

The marriage bill came back from the Revisor with an error so it had to go back. Too late now for it to be introduced this week.

Thursday, House Meets 10:00; Senate 11:00

I unfurl at 9:30 and 10:30.

Marriage Bill Renamed, Streamlined

Senator Marty and Rep. Jaros wanted some changes to the bill before it goes in. The new title is " The Marriage And Family Protection Act", (replacing "Religious Freedom" with "Marriage," Sen. Marty's idea) and both wanted to cut down on the number of legislative findings. Senator Marty reworked the bill over the weekend and read the changes to me over the phone while I was in the car traveling back from Duluth. I liked the changes. He cleared it with Rep. Jaros and sent it to the Revisor late yesterday so it should be introduced this week.

Gotta go now and protest in front of the Senate at 10:30.

Monday, Senate And House Meet At 11:00

I'll be very busy with the marriage bill. Not sure if I'll be able to protest.

Senator John Marty Will Carry The Marriage Equality Bill

This is it boys and girls!!! I just spoke with Sen. Marty's assistant just minutes ago and she said he will author my bill. I got the bill to his assistant this morning and then spoke with him on the Senate stairs later while I was protesting. He wanted to think about it and asked me to call him later today. I dropped in to his office instead and the good news was waiting for me. Thank you, Senator Marty.

The Religious Freedom And Family Protection Act, that will bring full marriage rights to same sex couples in Minnesota will be introduced in both houses of the legislature next week.

Live From The Capitol Thursday

Dropped the marriage bill off with several senators this morning before the House protest. There was a protester in a gorilla costume with a sign I did not understand, in front of the House when I got there. It disappeared shortly after I arrived. The gorilla, that is.

House Meets, 9:30; Senate 11:00

I'm at the House as close to 9:00 as I can get. Senate at 10:30.

Live From The Capitol

Just finished protesting in front of the Senate. I gave the marriage bill to Scott Dibble and told him Mike was the chief sponsor in the House. I also explained that I based the bill on the California legislation. He said he would have a look at it.

I have the"The Freedom To Marry Is A Human Right" banner again. A guy came up to me and said, "Your 'revelation' passed unanimously at my caucus."
I am blogging from bench in front of the House. Time to protest!

Senate Meets 11:00, House 12:00, Wednesday

Tuesday's Protest

The halls of the Capitol were filled with high school kids today. Many expressed support for the resurrected "The Freedom To Marry Is A Human Right" shower curtain. I was at the Senate this morning and then returned this afternoon to pick up the marriage bill draft at the Revisor's and then protested at the House. I dropped the bill off at Mike Jaros' office for review but he's sick today.

Senate Meets, 11:00; House 4:00

I'll do the Senate, starting 10:30. Don't know about the House yet. Wierd time.

Marriage Bill With The Revisor

I just met the revisor and left him with the bill. He was very supportive but not optimistic about the bill's chances. We had a good discussion about the bill and before I left he looked at me with the bill in his hands and said, "this is right." He said it should be ready by tomorrow and he wants to give it to me so I can bring it to Jaros.

Marriage Equality Bill

Monday morning I'm bringing a marriage equality bill to the Revisor's office to be properly written up. It's called the Religious Freedom And Family Protection Act and it will end official discrimination against same sex couples in the state of Minnesota.

During a conversation I had with Rep. Mike Jaros in front of the Senate on Thursday regarding marriage equality, I told him that I was sick of all the pussy footing around on the edges on marriage discrimination and asked how I could get a straight forward, full marriage equality bill written up. He told me that I should write instructions on what I want the bill to say, then bring it to the Revisor on the seventh floor of the State Office Building on Jaros' authority. So that's what I'm doing.

In preparing the bill, I relied heavily on the California marriage bill that has twice passed their legislature. The Minnesota bill renders gender-neutral, Minnesota's marriage statutes and all gender-specific language pertaining to marriage wherever found in state law.

Over my years of protesting marriage discrimination at the legislature, representatives and senators have told me they would vote for a marriage equality bill. Maybe now they'll get that opportunity.