Senate Bill 27, a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, which was introduced and sponsored by several Sussex legislators, was defeated by a vote of 11-9 (1 not voting) on Thursday after a day that saw General Assembly debate inside Legislative Hall and crowds of both protestors and supporters outside.
“[Former] Sen. John Still sponsored this and I was the co-sponsor, but it never got to committee – it was one of those desk drawer vetoes,” Venables said, referring to a committee chairman's ability to indefinitely table any discussion on an in-committee bill, essentially dropping it in a desk drawer where it is never to be seen again.
General Assembly Democrats have split on the issue, with Sen. Karen Peterson (D-Stanton) leading a group that voted in new procedural rules, several aimed at eliminating the desk-drawer veto.
In addition to SB 27's defeat, gay-rights supporters also won another victory yesterday with the passage of House Bill 5, Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf's (D-Rehoboth) fourth version of legislation that would bring sexual orientation under the umbrella of the state's discrimination protection.
