Md. House Panel Delays Same-Sex Marriage Vote
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- A vote on same-sex marriage hit a snag in the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday. The committee is trying to clear the way to take a vote but an unexpected turn of events is complicating matters.
Political reporter Pat Warren has an explanation.
The vote is so close, every vote counts. But when the committee convened for the voting session Tuesday morning, two delegates were missing. One was Baltimore delegate Jill Carter, who says she'll withhold her vote unless she gets some concessions.
After hours of testimony last week, the House Judiciary Committee was set to vote on same-sex marriage Tuesday, but two delegates---Carter and Prince George's County Delegate Tiffany Alston---refused to vote without assurances that school funding will be restored, even though they agree the two issues are unrelated.
"They can vote; it just might not pass without me. I want to vote for the bill but there are other bills and this is not necessarily the most important," Carter said.
She also wants a hearing on equal time for non-custodial parents, another unrelated but, in her view, equally important bill.
Both delegates' votes are considered necessary for the bill.
The committee is still hearing regular bills. They may or may not take a vote on same-sex marriage after those bills are heard.
The committee is under no deadline to take a vote.
